Before Fortunes Arrive, Many Misfortunes can Arise
by Gattarocurioso1992
Summary: She wanted to find a proof, but when she found something else, everything in her life was turned upside down.
1. Misfortune at the DMLE Warehouse

Chapter One: Misfortune in the DMLE Warehouse

Hermione Granger was excited, she was going to find proof of her recent suspicions, magical artifacts used to control and mistreat the house elfs! She would succeed this time in her research, she just knew it. She could feel it, among the sodding Malfoy's artifacts confiscated by the Department of Magical Law Enforcement(DMLE) at Malfoy Manor there HAD to be something! She had failed to find anything in her first two inspections at the Nott and Greengrass collections, but that was irrelevant to her. The Nott were just plain crazy, at least Nott senior had been, and they would not think of using something so sophisticated to subdue an house elf will, they would just beat him/her into submission. The Greengrass were the extreme opposite, too decent looking and respectable-like to resort to coercion to obtain an elf obedience. No, the Malfoys were the perfect target, enough sophisticated and devious and ruthless at the same time to use such methods. As she had these thoughts, she finally arrived at the DMLE warehouse, showed the auror there her authorization certificate to check the Malfoy's artifacts the Ministry had taken to check for dark magic material and remove it if found. The auror led her to a room with a massive amount of materials: parchments, orbs, cups, some strange wands, canes, there was really any kind of weird and ancient thing possible - " Which is the materials taken from the Malfoys? " - " All the one in this room Miss Granger" - "What?! Just how much rich those racist snobs are?! Excuse me, I am just very taken with this task. thanks for having shown me the materials, I will be able to check it by myself now" - The Auror, hesitantly because unsure if Granger could safely check all those artifacts by herself, despite her authorization, nodded and left her in the room.

Hermione sighed heavily, cursing the Malfoys for their annoyingly wealthy status. It would take much more time than she had to check all those artifacts! She would have probably to come back for at least another two times. Sighing again, but determined to find out what she was looking for, she began checking the many artifacts. As she predicted, the first day was not enough to find anything, after three hours she left without having checked even ⅕ of the materials. The third time, as she was leaving still with no success, she met Harry, who had been working until late that day at the DMLE, asking her - "Hermione… I do not mean to undermine your judgment capability of course, but could it be that MAYBE, those dark artifacts to control an elf do not really exist after all? It is the third time you have come checking, you almost finished, if even the Malfoys do not have them… " - "Harry, I KNOW it may sound obsessive of me, but I KNOW I will find something, I can feel it, there is no way so many elfs punished themselves like that without their "masters" knowing anything about their thoughts of misbehaviour. There HAS to be something like dark mental control magic about it. Something similar to the "Imperious!" - "If you say so…".

The fifth, and Hermione thought it would be the last, time she went again checking the Malfoy's artifacts, there was not really much left to check she thought with a mixture of relief, desperation and frustration, it was still a LOT sure, but certainly not compared to what she saw the first time. After a while she saw something like a treasure chest, it had two big golden letters, BE, on the lock. THAT had to be! Finally she thought! BE, could it mean "Bewitchment (of) elfs"? Her hopeness and former frustration turned excitement clouding her judgment, she quickly opened the chest with "Alohomora" and saw a huge amount of sealed letters. They looked all identical, all of them had a silver seal with the same "BE" on it. Ignoring the now very weak voice within her telling her to be careful, Hermione, excited and determined, thinking hopeful that those letters were the dark control enchantments she had been looking for, took one of the letters, hesitated just a moment, and broke its seal. In the instant she broke the seal, a powerful spell seemed to activate, a big green and golden light surrounding her and making her body shake slightly, she felt an emotion oddly similar to the one she felt when she took a commitment she was determined to keep. After a full minute, the light and the feeling disappeared, the seal was broken and Hermione's thoughts were going from shock to disappointment to a worried - "What the hell have I so foolishly done?" - She finished opening the letter and with an increasingly horrified expression read:

 _"_ _BETROTHAL ENCHANCEMENT (BE)_

 _By breaking this seal, your Noble person has agreed to a Betrothal arrangement with the Heir/ess of the Noble Malfoy Family, meaning the Heir/ess to the land and building/s going under the name of Malfoy Manor. The enhancement will immediately begin forming a magical bond between your person and the Heir/ess._

 _Such bond does entail:_

 _A certain level of physical and emotional attraction between your person and the heir/ess, if before the enhancement activation there was animosity between you, the attraction will be very weak and minimal, if there was affection, it will be significant._

 _The inability of your person and of the Heir/ess to have sexual relationships with other people, at least until a child between you is conceived_

 _The bond can only be broken by the death of one of the two persons involved. Attempts to otherwise ignore it and fight it, like having sexual relationships with others before the conceivement of the betrothed couple first child, will result in deep mental and physical pain that will only stop when the attempt will end._

 _The Malfoy family welcomes you among Its Noble and grand members. may you bring glory and purity to it and contentness and prestige to your Noble self._

 _SANCTIMONIA VINCIT SEMPER_

"For the huge balls of motherfucking Merlin WHAT THE HELL HAVE I GOTTEN MYSELF INTO!" - Hermione was panicking, she knew who the Malfoy Heir was currently, and this horrified her so much she was almost considering doing the only thing the stupid enhancement said could break the betrothal. She could easily do it she thought. Who would have cared if that racist, snobbish, entitled, arrogant, vile, sorry excuse for a human being called Lucius sodding Malfoy had an "accident"? She wished so much she could do it, but she knew she couldn't. She hated what that arsehole represented and was with all herself, but she was not the kind of person to kill someone who, while being a despicable person, was not a grave danger to anybody anymore. The arsehole was out of Azkaban only because he had cooperated heavily to capture several of his ex fellow death eaters, and the conditions of his release, happened four years after the war however, were enough to make sure he did not harm anybody ever again(at least by magic). He could not ever again use any form of dark magic and was also forbidden for three years to use grey magic too. He was no longer the owner of the Manor, he was currently the heir only because the new owner, Draco, had still not fathered a child. He was still an arsehole and an horrible excuse of a human(or at least so Hermione thought) but he was mostly harmless and she could not in conscience just kill him. So, since her damn conscience stopped her from ridding the world from the sodding arsehole, the only alternative she had, she realized sadly, was one she loathed almost as much as going through with the stupid betrothal. The solution was only logical, since the betrothal was magically enforced, the way to stop it from functioning was simple. She had to seal her magic.


	2. Misfortune at the Auror Office

Lucius Malfoy was walking towards the Ministry's DMLE, he would PRETEND that those incompetent commoners told him who she was. Who was the idiotic cursebreaker witch working in checking the Manor's artifacts who had so carelessly and foolishly activated one of the BE seals that his family decades ago sometimes used to sign betrothals with other pureblood families.

He had just divorced from Cissy, Narcissa and himself still loved each other, but after the war and after he got finally released from Azkaban four years after the war, things between them had changed. They did not feel comfortable anymore as a couple, the war had broken something in all of their family, and among its victims, there had been his and Narcissa's marriage. So they had divorced a few months ago and while they were still close friends and still cared about each other, both still living at the Manor although in separate rooms, they were not together anymore.

As Lucius was having these thoughts, he entered the DMLE, once inside, he heard shouting from an office near the entrance - "Do NOT dare you tell me to calm down Harry Potter! Just don't you fucking DARE! If I do not do this I will be bound for possibly the rest of my life to one of the most awful excuses of a human being among wizards! - Lucius froze, stopping his steps, could it really be… her? Could fate be so ironic? He carefully positioned himself near the office door, trying to look as if he was waiting someone, and kept listening - " Hermione please, just listen, I totally get that this is an awful and terribly unfortunate accident, but are you really so sure the only solution is to.. " - "I am absolutely sure! If I don't do this, the enhancement will force me to go to him eventually and surrender to this stupid betrothal! This is the only way, the only thing, beside killing the arsehole, that I can do to be free!".

Lucius was thinking perplexed, what was Granger talking about?There was no way to block a magical betrothal, they were made specifically to be unbreakable, well as Granger was saying, you could kill one of the betrothed, but beside death, nothing could end the contract. An odd mix of hope and disappointment to the possibility she might succeed in breaking the enhancement came over him. Lucius had been irritated, really irritated, when he had felt the bond activating, he had just divorced and now would be forced to remarry immediately to some idiotic unknown ministry witch, but now that he knew her identity, part of him was disappointed the betrothal would be maybe broken. She was undeniably a very talented witch, a war heroine, a fighter, an ambitious person who had been fastly advancing in her career at the Ministry despite her young age, many said she would one day be Minister of magic. Yes, marrying Hermione Granger could bring him prestige, power and an outstanding partner to spend his remaining life with.

Beside, she was the woman who four years ago had been tortured in his house by his deranged sister in law. He still felt shame thinking about it. He may have considered her a mudblood at the time, but he still had not liked such brutality towards a girl in his house. Now that after four years passed at Azkaban, he had also abandoned his prejudices regarding muggleborns, his shame in thinking about what he had allowed to happen in his own house had grown stronger. Making happy the woman who had been tortured in his house and making her life as content as possible would have with no doubt relieved him of much of the guilt he still felt about her. However, he thought, those were moot points, if she had managed to find a way to break the enhancement, there was no way in hell she was going to marry him, this was fairly evident just by her "colorful" depictions of his personality shouted from the office.

If the enhancement was broken he decided he would not pursue her and forget this whole affair. However, for the moment, he kept listening - " So that's it Hermione? After all you did, all the work you have done to get into the Ministry, after all those years studying relentlessly you will just give everything up? What about your goals, your plans regarding the rights of all magical people, humans and non-humans alike? What about your plan of one day becoming Minister of Magic, of changing Wizarding Britain for the better? Are you really going to give up all this and go live in the muggle world? Are you really sure there is no other way beside sealing your magic to end this crazy betrothal?" - " Yes Harry, I already told you many times, it is really the only way. I am sorry, you know I am horrified too that I will have to leave all this, all my plans, all the work I did, but freedom is more important than power or ambition, even if that ambition would be beneficial to help others. We'll see each other again, I will keep seeing you and Ron and Luna and Neville, you will be able to visit me anyway, even though I will not be able to see you in the Ministry or in Diagon Alley or in most Wizarding places. You will always be my friends."

Lucius was stunned and totally horrified, how could he have not thought about that?! This was bad, very very bad! If she sealed her magic, a thing that only thinking it made him feel ill, not only her, but also himself, through the bond, would be with his magic sealed! What was worse, it would have worked! He knew it! She had thought a solution both simple and effective, even though quite drastic, yes the bond would not be really broken, it would be simply frozen, suspended, his effects nullified by the sealing of the magical channel it used. Lucius felt a terror almost comparable to that he had felt sometimes with the Dark Lord in his house, he would be without his magic! He, Lucius Malfoy, heir of a noble and prestigious line of Wizards, would have to pass the rest of his years without his magic! NO, he had to stop her, he could not be without his magic, he couldn't allow it!

He rushed inside the office and with a commanding tone said - "Granger! So it was you the woman who foolishly broke the betrothal seal, I came at the DMLE to see who was my betrothed and I must say I am not... displeased to see it is you. However, MY dear, while it is understandable you may find this occurrence of marrying me… unsettling, I can't believe you find it so unpleasant that you are ready to give up all of your goals, all of your identity as a witch, your MAGIC, to avoid being bound to me. I really hope it is not the case, it would be disappointing to see such a talented young witch with a seemingly promising future, to renounce all of it just out of stubborness and unwillingness to even consider a certain marriage. I have to say it is quite imperative that you drastically rethink your quite erroneous views about my person. I assure you, dear betrothed of mine, that while I may not be the most… pleasant person, I am certainly not the demon you seem to believe me to be. I have many good qualities you may find appealing, if only you opened your mind enough to try them. - "

Hermione Granger was not shocked, no, she wasn't even angry, she was horrified that the racist snobbish lowlife had found her like this, discovering that she was his betrothed and what she intended to do about it BEFORE she sealed her magic. He could try to kidnap her and lock her up until she surrendered to the bond. No, she had to calm down, she was with Harry, he wouldn't try something like that here, it was two against one and he would have to escape the Departement unnoticed. Yes, that had to be why he was trying to convince her in such an oddly nice, although very patronizing and irritating, way. Why would he want so badly to marry her tough? She was a mudblood in his eyes wasn't she? Then she thought of herself, she was a war heroine, a prestigious, famous and esteemed witch, probably in the sick elitist mind this made up for her mudblood status. He probably saw her as a good tool to regain some standing in Wizarding society. A tool to use and throw away when it had served its purpose.

Yeah, that had to be! Yes, that was an addition to the reasons for which she would NEVER marry him! Looking at him with disgust, she spoke - " How dare you come here and speak to me like this! Don't pretend to know me in anyway arsehole, you never knew me and I assure you that you NEVER, never will. I hate to renounce all my life here, not that i think you really care of course, but I will let you know that I would renounce it a thousand times over if that meant being free from you. So now I suggest you to leave and never look for me again. You almost killed Ginny, your deranged sister in law killed my friend, Dobby, who you mistreated horribly when you shamelessly kept him as a slave. You were a death eater for Merlin's fucking sake! I KNOW you still are, you bribed yourself the way out of Azkaban by cooperating with the Ministry, but I don't believe you have changed. So give up this farce, leave and don't look for me ever again!" -

Lucius was shocked, shocked and also...hurt. This was going to be extremely difficult. He did not know she hated him so much. It hurt to hear her speak such hateful words regarding him. He could not totally blame her, he HAD been the ruthless bigot she now still believed him to be, however he was not like that anymore. The problem was that it would be very hard to convince his betrothed about it.

He also really could not allow himself to give up, so he decided to try another tactic - "My dear WIFE to be, I won't try right now to make you see how wrong your arrogant assumptions about me are. However, if you seal your magic, because of the bond MINE will be sealed too! I won't ever be able to use it again! I, Lucius Malfoy, will be forced to live the rest of my days like a squib! Isn't your do-gooder conscience appalled by what you are allowing your stubbornness to cause to another person?" - Hermione made a shocked face, then grinned, laughed loudly and with a cheerful tone said - "REALLY? is it true? You, Lucius snobbish Malfoy will be without magic for the rest of your life!? This is truly wonderful! Probably the only good thing come out of this whole affair! Thanks for having told me this, it really helped my mood. Ah, don't EVER call me "dear", or "mine" again anyway, or before I seal my magic I will cast a spell shutting your racist mouth for a very, VERY long time arsehole. I am NOT yours and I never will. Now if you excuse me, I have to go home to prepare the sealing ritual, so by by, I look forward to not seeing you again." -

After saying this Hermione ran away, leaving Lucius dumbfounded and almost desperate looking. After a few days, he knew she had, indeed, done the sealing ritual. He could not use magic anymore! Damn that stubborn witch! He heard she had settled in a vulgar, mo-no-lo-cal apartament in muggle London. He loathed the thought of his wife to be living in such a poor, commoner environment. He had bought a large house near her apartment without her knowing, tomorrow he would transfer there and in the evening would make a visit to his foolish future wife. He would not give up, ever, with her. He couldn't, without his magic he could as well kill himself, he would have slowly gone crazy. Oh yes, he would convince his stubborn wife to be with him, even if it took him weeks or months. Even if tomorrow he would have to use low commoner muggle transport to get to his newly bought house in the Muggle world.


	3. Misfortune at the Underground Railroad

Chapter Three: Misfortune at the Underground Railroad

Hermione Granger sighed deeply. It was almost a week since she had settled at her new apartment in Muggle London. It was a monolocal, nice, cozy and comfortable for one person to live in. She did really like it, her parents had helped her rent it. She had also just found a job at a bookstore near her apartment and would begin working there the following Monday.

Things were going well regarding her new start in the muggle world, but she still was unhappy, more unhappy and irritated than she had ever been in a long time. She should not be HERE! She should be at her job at the ministry, working for what she had prepared for all her life since she was eleven! Hermione had tried to get over it, but each day in her new apartment her irritation grew. Her fury had slowly been fading, but frustration, unhappiness and irritation had taken its place.

She regularly cursed her foolishness that had put her in this mess, she cursed the Malfoys for having been such archaic aristocrats to have betrothal enchantments hidden among their artifacts. Mostly though, she cursed one person, for his damn fault of existing and being the arshole she was sure he still was.

If only it had not been someone like him she could have considered, MAYBE, to go through with the betrothal, since, after all, she wasn't even in a relationship. She had been with Ron for an year after the war and then, after a few months, she had dated for a while someone else from the Ministry, but to no avail and had been alone since then, focusing on her career. However, there was no way in hell she would consider marrying Lucius sodding Malfoy even if the price for not doing it was to leave the Wizarding world. It was early afternoon, having these thoughts clouding her mind, she decided to try to sleep, maybe sleeping would have calmed her a bit. Yes, she would sleep, perhaps she would curse some more time the arsehole when she woke up tough, just for a little more emotional release.

Lucius Malfoy was frustrated, no, he was outraged. Why had the fates decided to punish him with such a stubborn fiancè, a fiancè who was forcing him, Lucius of the Noble Malfoy house, to travel, with NO magic, among muggles, just to reach his foolish betrothed at her new, totally unworthy, home? He was trying now to take what those ridiculous muggles called "Underground Railroad". Absurd he thought. Only muggles could think of something so foolish as to make underway passages to travel among places. Bah, they reminded him of the goblins, only, apparently, they were more stupid. At least the goblins did not have such an absurd chaos in their tunnels. Goblins tunnels were always quite and had order within them. This "underground railroad" however, Lucius thought, was so full of people and chaos. Everything was so fast and chaotic and frenetic, it would not be surprising if half of those muggles got lost in the mess. Lucius had already taken a bus and then the train in early morning just to arrive in London without magic. However he had, more or less, accepted those, since trains and bus were also used sometimes by Wizards and Witches, although he would consider himself a total failure as a Malfoy if he ever found himself in the position of needing the service of something like the "Knight Bus" for needy Wizards and Witches. So, while a nuisance, the use of a muggle bus and train had been fairly ok to him, but now, as he tried to be careful in taking the right transport among the underground ones that would take him to the area where his new House and Hermione's lowlife-like apartment were. he was not ok, he was bothered, very. He was bothered by the chaos, by all those muggles who occasionally threw shameless glances at him, looking at his clothes as if they were some kind of exotic piece of art. He understood that he had to change, he would go in the following day to buy muggle clothing, but right now he would have to endure the humiliation of having these unworthy muggles look at him as if he was some kind of picturesque fellow got out of an ancient portrait.

As he got on the underground train, he cursed again the fates and his bethroted's stubbornness. Why couldn't she have just accepted what had happened instead of taking such a drastic and ridiculous action just to be away from him? Sure he understood she may find "unsettling" being bound to an ex-death eater, the one in whose house she had been tortured, but Merlin! The foolish, stubborn and arrogant witch had not even CONSIDERED the possibility that perhaps he had changed and however always had possessed good and attractive qualities. No, she hadn't bothered of course, she had just gone with the assumption that he was the same big bad death eater, a despicable excuse for a human, and had ran away, forcing him to go through this awful humiliating journey among these plebeian muggles.

"Excuse me Mister, could I ask you where did you buy these clothes. Sorry, its just that I am very fond of historical clothing and I couldn't help but wonder where you bought yours" - A middle aged muggle woman had just asked him a question, a muggle was talking directly to him as if he was equal to them! His father had to be loudly rolling in his Noble grave he thought sadly. Sighing deeply, Lucius answered the muggle woman as more confidently as he could - "They have been sent me by… a friend, for an event I am going to attend this afternoon. I would not so know where he acquired them Miss…" - "Really! An event? It is a carnival event?! An historical representation?! Forgive me mister, It's just that I really love these things... Is it going to be a more quite event with only a few members, or will it be a more loud and deliciously chaotic party with many fellows?!" - The muggle woman's face was increasingly more excited, and Lucius prayed the fates with all himself that they would reach his stop very soon and answered - " It will be an event with very few members, but I fear it will be very chaotic and loud anyway, since it appears that one of the members will probably be quite… unable to calm her emotions regarding the whole thing." As the woman was about to reopen her mouth to ask another question, they reached Lucius's stop and he, feeling extremely relieved, apologized to the muggle woman that he had to go and left. After having left the underground railroad, he looked at his map, checked the position of Hermione's apartment and cursing his fiancè again for what she had forced him to endure just moments before, sighed and went towards her place.

Hermione was still sleeping deeply, having a quite pleasant dream in which a certain older blonde informed her that it had all been a prank, that she was not betrothed to the arsehole. In the dream she, relieved, punched the arsehole in the face three times to punish him for his awful prank, satisfied and content, while her friends cheered her.

Suddenly a constant series of loud knocks awakened her, who the hell could be right now? Her friends should not be contacting her until tomorrow, it could not be the landlord, she already paid the rent for a month. With a bad feeling within herself, she got out of the bed and went to the door - " Who is there? " - After a few seconds in which nobody answered, she opened the door and, seeing who was behind it, she froze, finding herself in front of a quite irritated and determined-looking Lucius sodding Malfoy. Shit, what did the arsehole want from her? Maybe he wanted to force her to give up and marry him, since by her decision she had also sealed his magic too? Hermione began to feel very scared and started panicking, she was alone in front of a potentially very dangerous ex-criminal who was physically much stronger than her. She could have probably defeated him in a magic duel, but with no magic, she was no match for the arsehole. Shit, why hadn't she thought of this possibility? She should have bought a taser or something like that to defend herself. What was he going to to her? Was he going to torture her like his deranged ex sister-in-law had done over 4 years ago?

Lucius Malfoy was shocked, he was ready for an angry, irritated Hermione, he was not ready for the terrified look which formed on her face when she opened her door and saw him. What was his foolish wife to be thinking? That he wanted to harm her? To force her to unlock their magic and marry him against her will? Bah! Her arrogant assumptions about his person were getting to the point of being really ridiculous. Looking shocked and slightly offended, he spoke to Hermione - "Good evening my dear fiancè, I hope your terrified expression is not due to some ridiculous assumption that I may want to harm you. If that, as it seems, is the case, allow me to clarify that I have no intention to harm you or force you into anything in anyway. Not only if I did it I would probably be caught sooner or later and would return to Azkaban, but harming an innocent, although extremely foolish young woman, especially my fiancè, is certainly not something I would EVER do." - Seeing that while her terror had lessened, she did not look much convinced, he continued - "Yes I allowed you to be harmed while you were in my house THAT time, I still feel shame about it. At the time I still thought muggleborns to be inferior wizards and witches, but even then I did not like to see such brutality towards a young woman in my own house." - Since she did look a little convinced this time, he changed argument - " Now that we seem to have clarified this, would it be agreeable if we went to sit within your… rustic room and talked about our situation in a civil and ratio…" - BAM! She had shut the door in his face without saying a word! - "No, i suppose it wouldn't" - Damn her ridiculous foolishness, she must have thought to close the door on principle in the moment she had understood he was not a danger to her and wouldn't have tried to stop her in closing the door! Sighing, he decided to let her be for tonight, he would go settle in his new large house near her apartment, have dinner and a good night rest. Tomorrow he would try to contact again his stubborn fiancè.

Turning to leave, Lucius cursed the fates once again, it seemed this would be even harder than he had predicted, but he would not give up, EVER, mostly for his magic, but also for her. Such a drastic refusal of his person offended his pride and challenged him. He wanted to convince this stubborn, talented young witch that he was not the despicable monster she evidently still thought him to be.


	4. Misfortune at the Clothing Store

Chapter Four: Misfortune at the Clothing Store

Lucius was walking through the streets of the area near his house in Muggle London, looking for a muggle clothing store. It was Saturday, October 20. around 10:00 am, the weather was unusually nice.

He planned to change into muggle clothing and to go checking on his fiancè around 12:15, he hoped she would agree to have lunch with him. It was a very unrealistic hope at this point, but if a bloke could hope, a Malfoy bloke could hope more. Ignoring the glances that the muggles passing by kept throwing at him, he finally spotted a small shop, who clearly sold clothes.

Opening the door and entering he saw a muggle woman, who was probably around 30 years old, looking at him, intrigued. After a small pause, she exclaimed happily - "Amazing Mister! Please you HAVE to tell me where you bought these clothing! I bet you are going to a carnival party. Oh heaven knows how much I love them! So is this cosplay of yours for what? A wizard? Is so cool! You know my sister tells me I am too weird with my obsession for cosplays, but I really love them. Will you be at the new big cosplay party here in London that will be in May? I truly hope so! You know I th…" - " Miss, I am sure you are thinking of something very… intriguing, but unfortunately my time is very limited. I wear this clothing for an event, would you now indicate to me some… casual clothing. I ONLY want the most expensive ones." -

The muggle woman blushed, saying as she went to show Lucius the articles - "I understand, I am really sorry I kept talking like that, people often tell me I speak too much, it's just that I truly like talking with people and befriending them and your clothes looks so fascinating... I am Abby by the way and damn I am doing it again! Sorry, these are our most expensive articles, what do you prefer?"

Lucius was feeling a mixture of two quite different emotions. On one part, he was feeling an irresistible desire to curse his fiancè once again for what he was enduring into the muggle shop. On another part, he found oddly amusing the muggle woman's behaviour. - "Miss... Abby, I will take three pairs of these black… jeans, three pair of these grey and green shirts, three pair of these sweatshirts, black, blue and green, and I want also a black winter jacket, the most expensive like the others." -

Abby was dumbfounded, just who was this middle aged looking guy wearing amazing cosplay, speaking oddly and wanting to buy only the most expensive things? As she fetched the blonde guy what he requested, she hoped he would come in the shop again. It would be interesting to get to know someone like him, and the budget of her shop would most likely enjoy his visits" -

As Lucius was about to pay Abby, the door of the shop opened, and a serene-looking Hermione entered. Her calm expression suddenly turned into a very irritated one when she saw that Lucius arsehole Malfoy was in the shop.

She pretended to ignore him however, after he had payed, she asked for a new winter jacket she needed, trying not to look frustrated at the sight of the blonde arsehole who instead of getting out of the shop had began to casually look at some over expensive articles. As she was about to pay the muggle shopkeeper, the blonde arsehole managed to drive her already irritated mood into full mad one, he suddenly came behind her and told to the shopkeeper - " I will pay for her jacket Miss Abby, you see she is my beloved fiancè. I enjoy to help her buy her what she wishes and needs" - The shopkeeper made a smiling face and happily said - "How sweet! I wish you both the best. When will the wedding be? Tell me tell me tell me! Of course you don't have to tell me but I would really like if you told me. However this is the price Mister. " -

"What! It's not true, I never saw this old guy in all my life! He is just lying, let me pay for my own things. " - Hermione was furious, that was why he had waited for her to pay instead of getting out of the shop. How dared that arsehole! She was an independent person and did not need economic help, well perhaps she did a little lately, but certainly NOT from Lucius arsehole sodding Malfoy! She would rather go begging for charity in the streets tham willingly accept help from him.

Before the shopkeeper answered however, the arsehole talked again - " Don't mind her Miss Abby, she is just extremely nervous because our wedding is nearing. Let me pay and I promise you that I will return and... we'll talk again about cosplay." To Hermione's utter shock, the shopkeeper agreed and let arsehole pay for her jacket. After that, he gave her the jacket, took her hand and walked with her too shocked to react out of the store.

After they were out of the store and a little distant from it, Hermione, recovered from the shock, let go of Lucius hand and, with a deadly look on her face, told him - "Fine, enough is enough, come with me to my apartment, NOW, we have to talk, and do NOT get any strange ideas from me inviting you there".

Lucius made a very pleasant smile, triumphant regarding Hermione's invitation, nodded and went with her without saying anything else. After they arrived inside her apartment and she closed the door, he looked around, then turned to her and said " I am most pleased that you have at least invited me into your humble yet… lovely abode, my dearest fiancè. Would you like for us to sit so we can finally discuss our situation?"

Glaring at him with a look that spoke volumes about how she did not think of their "situation" in the same manner he did, she nodded, they sat on the opposite sides of her bed and she spoke "How? How did you manage to get on such friendly terms with a muggle, and what did it meant your talk about cosplays? I would have NEVER expected to see you speak so calmly and even somewhat pleasantly with a muggle. Anyway, you have absolutely no right to buy me things, we are not really fiancès, I can buy my own things, and you are sorely mistaken if you believe you can buy my affection. It would just prove you know nothing about affection. Lastly, why? Why are you so obsessed with pursuing me? Can't you just give up? You have still a LOT of wealth and even power, there are many magics, like potions, that do not require spells. Why are you so fixated on pursuing me to convince me to unlock our magic?"

Hermione was surprised at how non angry and calm her tone was. She just found herself unable to be angry at him after what she had just witnessed. Of course it had greatly irritated her that he had just bought things for her without her permission, but mostly she was increasingly shocked at the thought of how he had been on such friendly terms with a muggle. It was so out of character for the racist and cold person she believed him to be. "Perhaps", a little part of her thought ashamed, "he is not like I thought, maybe, just maybe, he really is, to some degree, changed".

Lucius triumphant smile returned, apparently his pursuit was beginning to work. Slowly, her assumptions about him had already began to crack. With a pleasant and charming smile, he answered " Oh my dearest, there are so many things you yet have to discover about what I am and what I am not, many things I will make sure you will come to know very soon, bit by bit. I and that deliciously amusing shopkeeper, Abby, have had quite an interesting encounter, she was quite intrigued, obviously, from my clothings and from my noble demeanour, so she expressed the desire to talk with me further and I have only agreed to fulfill her wish if she let me pay for you. As for if i have the right to buy you things, my sweetly foolish fiancè, I most certainly have that right. You may not like it, YET, but you are my fiancè and future wife. It is most normal and proper for me to help you economically and make you gifts if I want to, and I assure you, Hermione dear, that i DO want to. Regarding your last question, I can't renounce my magic, it is too much part of who I am. However, having my magic back is not the only thing I wish to obtain by pursuing you."

Hermione gulped, and with a totally shocked expression that to Lucius looked extremely adorable, said " And what else could you want to possibly obtain from this pursuit?"

Lucius smirked, and putting himself slightly closer to her side of the bed, told her charmingly "Isn't it obvious my sweet, naive Hermione? You really can't guess what else I may possibly wish from this?" After a few seconds, he continued " I will be very pleased to enlighten you then, I want YOU, you, my dearest, is what I will obtain from this. When we were at the Potter office at the DMLE, I told you I was not displeased to find out you were my betrothed. I believe I own you a clarification. I am not just not displeased, I am pleased, extremely and, I must say, increasingly so, to have such a talented, beautiful and adoringly stubborn witch as my future wife. Your talent and ambition are qualities I find very appealing, you are undeniably very beautiful, but is more than that, I find your stubbornness and pride challenging and even adorable. I would, and make no mistake, will, love to see your wit, pride and stubborn demeanour each day enlighten my days, our days. To see them mixed with your ambition at work while you, with my help, reach the heights of power and shake the whole wizarding world. That is why, my dearest Hermione, from my pursuit I want, and will, obtain you." Seeing that she was still shocked and did not seem to be going to reply, he continued " I have to go now, my clothes need to be settled in my house" approaching her even closer, he whispered in her ear "To next time my dearest, I look forward to crush your assumptions about me one by one."

After having said this, he left, leaving a shocked, dumbfounded and confused Hermione to think about what he had said, and she would have thought about that, very much, in the following days.


	5. Misfortune in the Muggle Restaurant

**NOTE: I made a mistake the last time, i published chapter SIX rather than chapter FIVE and i apologize for the error. I deleted chapter six. This is chapter five, i will republish the chapter six tomorrow. Sorry again to the readers. Enjoy the chapter!**

Chapter Five: Misfortune in the Muggle Restaurant

Hermione Granger was nervous, awfully, frustratingly nervous, she was walking to get to work in the near bookstore on Monday, it was her first day at work there. However, her new job wasn't the cause of her nervousness, no, she was like this since two days before, she had experienced that weird and totally confusing encounter with Lucius Malfoy. It had been really strange to see him interact so nicely and politely with a muggle, but even more weird had been to hear what in her apartment, the charming arsehole, well the sodding arsehole, there was no way in hell she would ever consider charming that ferret maker, had told her.

She had quickly dismissed the small voice within her that whispered that maybe Lucius Malfoy was not, or at least not anymore, the despicable person she believed him to be. It was absurd a part of her had even considered it. This was Lucius Malfoy, the ex death eater who had almost killed Ginny by giving her the Riddle diary, who had supported Voldemort in both wars going as far as giving him his home as headquarters, who she had fought in the department of Mysteries, who had watched as she was being tortured by his derganged sister-in-law.

No, there was no way she was wrong about him. This was all an act, yes, it had to be an act, another of his manipulations, an act to make her low her guard long enough until she surrendered to him and then she would be trapped into a marriage with a monster that, once she married him, would reveal his true face mistreating her, his mudblood wife horribly. She would then be a wife in name only, while in reality she would be just a slave, unable to leave him because the enhancement and who knows what else of his magical tricks would make it impossible for her to do so.

She loathed how a part of her had been charmed by his behaviour yesterday. He had appeared so charming and convincing and intriguing. The key part however she thought, was "appeared". He couldn't have been serious, he was just acting and she had better remember it well in the future. With these thoughts, she arrived finally at the bookstore and entered, ready for her first day of work.

Lucius Malfoy was perplexed, was this a muggle restaurant? All filled with waitresses, male and female, going around bringing plates with their BARE hands! It was so barbaric. With no magic to levitate the plates, muggles touched them with their hands! Shocked, he looked as a muggle waitress served customers plates, bottles of water and wine, using her bare hands. Cursing under his breath, he looked around for Abby.

He had invited her to lunch in a restaurant of her choice in the afternoon of the day he had met her and Hermione in the shop. Ah Hermione, it had been... fulfilling to see the shocked and, he could have sweared it, slightly pleased expression on the beautiful face of his young fiancè following his answering to her questions. He had started to crack her assumptions about him, he had seen it on her face, in her eyes and in her stunned demeanor.

"Mister Malfoy!" - Abby's voice from a near table turned him away from his thoughts, he went to her table and sat on a chair on the opposite side of the table. "I am pleased to meet you again, Miss Blythe, as I promised, I will be more than willing to discuss… cosplay, and whatever else you may wish to ask me I will answer, as long as is something I really can't reveal. " - " Thank you SO much Mister! I am so glad that you came! Ah call me Abby please, friends do not call each other by surnames, and after this lunch I hope we will be friends, wouldn't you like to be my friend?" She asked this with such a somewhat puppy and cheering face that even Lucius Malfoy, with all his coolness, could not bring himself to say no.

" Of course… Abby, I would be pleased to be your friend. I think you should also call me by name then, I am Lucius for you. Now, could you enlighten me about what more specifically do you intend by "cosplay" Abby?"

Abby was excited, finally she would get to know this intriguing and odd man, who weared cosplay without even knowing what cosplay meant! It was fascinating. She loved getting to know her customers and to make friends among them, but lately they were always the same, furthermore most of them were nice and someone also quite interesting, but nobody of those who had ever walked inside her shop was as intriguing, odd and fascinating as her new friend Lucius. She was also very eager to know Lucius fiancè as soon as possible, if he was so cool, his fiancè had to be also amazing.

So, excited as a child on Christmas to uncover the presents, she answered Lucius " For cosplay I mean... cosplay obviously! Getting dressed as fictional or fantasy or historical figures at fancy, big and super cool events! I go to every big cosplay party who happens in London. Last time I dressed up as Jack Sparrow from "Pirates of the Carribean", well I know he is a man but who cares, I guess I was a fanfiction female version of him haha! Do you know fanfictions? Stories who fan of stories make on those stories. I read some of them sometime, mainly about movies but also some books. Ah do you read? I read so much! novels mostly, comedic, humor and fantasy and some classics. Sorry I… I am going to shut up. You talk, ask me any questions you want."

Lucius was increasingly amused, the muggle woman, his friend, his first muggle friend(something for which his father would have expelled him from the family), Abby was… pleasant to be around, overly eager to talk but not irritatingly so, mostly in an amusing way. She was an adorable and friendly person, and he would be lying if he said that he did not mean what he had told her… he REALLY was pleased to have her as a friend. Furthermore, it pleased his ego and his pride to see that even a muggle, a pretty and adorable one, found him so intriguing and fascinating, obviously nobody, wizard or muggle, could deny his noble charm.

Perhaps she could also help him in moving around muggles, and in convincing his incredibly stubborn fiancè that he was not the awful person she still thought him to be. With these thoughts in mind, Lucius spoke to Abby again " Abby, I will have you know that I read too, mostly… non novels, but among the novels I read, I would say I enjoy classics, historical drama and mythology, I also don't mind some comedy and...adventure once in a while I suppose. I would like to ask you, however, what is this "burger" thing in the menu?"

WIth an amused, intrigued and ARE-YOU-FOR-REAL like expression, Abby answered "It is a… receipe, how can I say, yeah a recipe, there are two pieces of bread one over the other and between them is put some meat and usually other things like cheese, potato, salad ecc according to the type of burger. Really, you mean you never went to a fast-food?!" As Lucius silent stance told her he had not, she bursted out laughing "ahahahah you really are odd and intriguing!"

They kept chatting and then food arrived. Abby had ordered a cheeseburger just to see Lucius reaction to it. She gave him a taste of it and he seemed to like it. After they had eaten, Abby said she had to go, so they paid and got out of the restaurant. Before parting ways, Abby asked Lucius that he hoped to see him again and that she would have really liked to get to know also his fiancè. Lucius promised that she would and that he would find an occasion to make them meet. In reality he had mixed feelings about it.

Part of him feared that Hermione could put Abby on guard about him so maybe making him lose the only muggle friend he had. Another, bigger part of him though, hoped that by making Hermione befriend Abby she would see, by talking with Abby about him, how his interactions with a muggle were really nice without him being manipulating or evil-minded about it. Tomorrow he would go to the work place of his fiancè. He had discovered she worked there by seeing her passing by the bookstore where she worked as he came to the restaurant.

Yes, the following day he would begin pursuing her at her new muggle and plebeian workplace, a place she did not belong to. She belonged to the Wizarding world, to ambitions of power and of change in it, with him alongside her. He would make her understand it, even if it took him months. He knew he would succeed, He was Lucius Malfoy, and there was only so much time a person could resist either his cunning or his charm, in this case his charm he thought. After all, if even a muggle woman he had just known had liked him so much, having success in romancing a witch could not be so hard.


	6. Misfortune at the Bookstore

Chapter Six: Misfortune at the Bookstore

Hermione Granger was working, selling books together with her coworker to customers coming into the small bookstore she had begin working in the former day. It was around 11:15 am and still only five customers had come since the store had opened at 8:30 am. Her coworker, a young and quite handsome man named Diego Aguado, was a Spanish and had transferred in England with his family since when he was three.

Diego was very pleasant and nice, but to Hermione's disappointment, he almost immediately told her he was gay when he referred as having to meet his boyfriend at a near pub right after work in the afternoon. It was around 20 minutes since the last customer had entered and Hermione was chatting with Diego about which books genre he preferred. He was fond of sci fi and adventure , while Hermione preferred classics, history and fantasy.

After a while, Diego told Hermione he had to leave early and would return after lunch time in the afternoon. Just after he had left, a new "customer" entered the store. As Hermione turned to see who the customer was and greet him/her, the good mood she had been in disappeared. In front of her, with a smirk on his annoyingly arrogant face, stood the blond arsehole.

"Morning my dearest, are you trying to fall out of attraction with me by flirting with the young gentlemen who just left? Ah, my dear" Approaching her closer, while still being at a fair distance, he said in an almost inexpressive, subtly charming tone "so talented and yet… so naive"

Lucius was feeling amused, there was no way HIS fiancè would ever fall for that muggle over him. Ah! She perhaps hoped so, but deluding herself was not a good thing for her health and he, as the gentleman he was, had to make her see it. This… endeavour of his had nothing to do with some… preposterous assumption about him feeling jealous, no it was ridiculous even consider it. He, Lucius Noble Malfoy, could not be jealous of a mere muggle working at a small, plebeian bookstore, could he?

"How.. dare you, you pompous, snobbish, entitled, ar.. the guy who just left, a man a thousand times better than you could ever hope to be, was my coworker. I was not "flirting" with him to fall out of "attraction" from you you delusional arsehole, I have no need to fall out of an attraction I… have NOT in the first place. I wouldn't dislike getting closer to Diego of course, he is handsome, nice and not an acting arseholish snob. Too bad he is ga… "

Hermione stopped and covered her mouth, shit, she almost had told the blond arsehole that Diego was gay, and for some reason she really did NOT want to give him that relief. "Anyway, how do you know I was talking to him like that? Just how much have you observed us from outside before entering you unrepentant stalker! And how the hell did you know I worked here?!"

Hermione was so mad, the nerve! Lucius Malfoy was such an arrogant ass. Damn, just HOW had the cunning snake managed to find her work place! Now her life at work would most likely become so irritating it would be a miracle if she managed to not throw the books of the store at him any other time he would come. Yes he would come back often, she could feel it. Damn the arsehole and his cunning skills. And damn it, why had she felt so embarrassed when he had told her she had been flirting with Diego? Something was really wrong with her today.

"My dear, is unbecoming of a person as talented as you to make such absurd comparisons. That… gentleman, with his… simple manners and background, a muggle commoner, could never hope to have a tenth of my worth. You are NOT attracted to him, it is irrelevant how much you try to be. I would dare suggest you are beginning to be quite fascinated by me though. You may not have... come to terms with such thing yet, your adoringly stubborn mind may deny it, but even without the enhancement magic operating, you are more and more attracted to me and cannot stop it. I do not blame you of course, as I told you since our first meeting at the DMLE, I have many good qualities. Regarding how I knew you worked in this… nice store, I saw you working here yesterday while I was passing by, going to a… meeting I had the pleasure to attend. Now my dearest, isn't proper for a shopkeeper to greet a customer and take care of his demands? if you greet all of your customers this way, it is not surprising to see I am the only one who right now is in the store. I would like to be shown some books regarding cosplay and... popular muggle culture. Then I would like to see some muggle classic literature and, since you sell it, a coffee."

Hermione stared totally shocked at him for a full minute, then shot him a deadly glare, and without saying another word out loud, muttering "arsehole", she went to show him what he requested.

She looked in shock as he choose and then somewhat excitedly bought muggle books about COSPLAY, popular culture and some classics like "Paradise Lost" by John Milton and a box with all the works of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle. After he had finished the coffee she somewhat hesitant had served him, Hermione, with a tone mostly worried but also partly, for some VERY obscure and crazy reason currently unknown to her, hopeful, said " You are going to come back often right? The thought of giving up on this… nonsensical pursuit has truly not crossed your mind in the least?"

Taking his bag where he had put the books, Lucius looked at her and said simply " I look forward to the interesting time I will most certainly have as a regular customer of this store. Books open your path to so many things, so many…. developments." Having said the last sentence smirking, he continued "I have to go now dear, i trust you won't greet another customer this way again, it is so unbecoming of not only a shopkeeper, but also of my talented and alluring fiancè to display such a lack of manners. To next time" After saying this, he left, leaving Hermione, once again, shocked and irritated at the same time, to think about his behaviour… and his promise of coming back.

The following days Lucius often went to the bookstore, mostly just casually looking the books, not even buying anything. Hermione was convinced he did it just to annoy her, if that were the case he had succeeded and this annoyed her even more. However, she could not just tell him to get out, nor could she make a scene as she had done the first time, especially since, oddly, Lucius came almost only when also Diego was inside. After a week and an half her irritation was reaching the breaking point. If he kept this nonsense up she would explode.

At the end of the second week, Lucius walked again inside Abby's shop, he had began coming there too once in a while, although not as often as he went to the bookstore, he talked with Abby and got to know her better. She really was an amusing, warming and cheering creature. He began feeling genuine affection towards her. She, a muggle was his friend in this world of commoner , magicless people. No, this was not right. She was also a commoner, but still, her warming and lightful personality didn't make her "magical" and special too in a way?

However, he would have liked if she could have also, in some way, be a part of his world. He was sure she would have been absolutely amazed and happy in knowing the Wizarding world. Unfortunately the only way to legally reveal the magical world to a muggle was by marrying the said muggle and, quite obviously, that would not be his case. Abby, however, offered him unexpectedly and, of course, unknowingly, the potential solution to this riddle.

As he started to talk to her as usual, at a certain point she began talking about her lack of relationships "Damn it, why can't I find someone intriguing and fascinating who is interested in long term relationships? You know Luci, I only had 3 relationships so far, I am pretty friendly, but when it comes to romantic relationship it seems I am quite picky. Hey, don't you have some younger friend I may like?"

Lucius felt as if Merlin himself had offered him an assist. THAT was the solution! He had just to make Abby marry one of his friends and she could be part of his world! He had to think of someone. He had not many friends left, most of them either had died in the war, or still in Azkaban, or had resented him for his renounce of the pureblood supremacist ideology. Those he had left were few, but even fewer those who would consider marry a muggle. Then it came to his mind. Yes HE was perfect!

Why hadn't he thought of him immediately? His relatively younger friend, Felix Greengrass, his young, eccentric and warm friend would be perfect for Abby. Felix was Astoria's uncle, around 39 years old and a widower. His wife had died three years before, killed by a rogue death eater who had still not been captured, many death eaters on the run did blame the neutrality of some pureblood families like the Greengrass for the dark lord's demise, and Felix's wife had been victim of this blame.

Felix had only been married for four years when his wife had died, and they had not given birth to a child yet. Felix was an eccentric, tall, handsome and refined but warm and humor-loving man. He had also recently shown some interest in the muggle world and probably, this together with his personality, made him Lucius best bet on finding a suitable wizard husband for his overly friendly and cheerful muggle friend.

With these thoughts in mind Lucius answered Abby "Now that I think about it, maybe I have indeed quite a… proper and very suitable candidate for you Abby dear. I am confident you would find him quite charming." - Seeing Abby's smile and relief, Lucius smirked. Yes, he would make Abby join his world, perhaps this.. temporary residence in the muggle world would produce more results other than the amazing one of obtaining Hermione as his wife.


	7. Misfortune at the Police Station

Chapter Seven: Misfortune(s) at the Police Station

Lucius kept going to the bookstore where his fiancè worked almost every day, keeping a relatively calm and casual demeanour, mostly avoiding interactions with Hermione as to simply making her grow comfortable with his presence. One day he found out, after two weeks, that his tactic not only was ineffective, it was also, apparently, quite counterproductive.

As he was looking through a shelf regarding fantasy books and observing with interest the books of a certain J.R.R Tolkien, he was startled by a sudden shout coming from just behind him.

"What for Merlin's holy motherfucking balls are you still doing here!" Hermione stood behind the arsehole as he turned towards her with a merely amused expression. Enough was enough! She would find out what the arsehole hoped to obtain exactly by coming at the store almost every day and get him to leave her in peace! The last month with him coming to the shop and acting casually had driven her to the breaking point. Now it was the arsehole's turn to break, she would kick his precious elitist ass if he did not agree to stop his ridiculous visits.

"I am merely looking at a shelf my dearest, in fact I was considering just now of acquiring a piece of this certain Tolkien author. But I thought you had taken my advice about having proper manners with customers. It is truly a shame to see you have gone back to your previous unbecoming habit. Would you mind telling me what caused you to go back to such a plebeian behaviour?" Lucius was amused, he had not done anything for her to be so angry. What did she want? Or perhaps was precisely his tactic of being casual and quiet that had irritated her?

"What?! You have such a nerve to ask me, and you slytherins like to call griffindors reckless. Ah, whatever you say! Fine, I will tell you the obvious. Because your constant visits here are driving me totally mad that's your fucking WHAT arsehole! Every time you walk in, every time I see you acting cooly and nonchalantly like some normal customer, it makes me wonder what the hell you may be up to! It makes me think if I am ok in drinking some coffee while you have been here for long and who knows what you may… Just why am I telling you anyway! You know far too well what I mean!"

She did not dare to say out loud what she meant, to tell him of her fear of what he may be capable of. Like spilling in her coffee love potion or something else who would have clouded her free will and made her do his bidding. No, she would not tell him that, neither she would tell him what her fears about her fate as his wife were.

So she focused on what she wanted to request from him, to stop coming at the shop and leave her alone. "I want to know WHY exactly you come here almost every day, and that you stop it immediately and leave me alone!"

Lucius was slightly confused and worried about her words. Just what was his sweet assuming fiancè implying? Did she still thought he wanted to harm her? To force her somehow to be with him? He tried reassuring her again, unsuccessfully, that this was not the case at all, then he told her how he had merely kept coming here to make her grow more comfortable with his presence and again he told her that he could not, ever, leave her alone, because he wanted her, not just because he wanted his magic back, but because he wanted HER, specifically, as his wife, and that she was already growing attracted to him, that it was only a matter of when, not of if, she finally surrendered herself to his pursuit.

He told her, in the end, that however, since his casual demeanour seemed to unsettle her, he would make a change in his behaviour in the following visits to the store. Before she had the time to answer him that she did not want anymore visits of him in the first place, he said goodbye to her and left the store.

Felix Greengrass was excited, he was waiting in a park for his date, a woman called Abby Blight. Finally he would meet the lovely muggle lady his friend Lucius had talked him about. At first he wasn't pleased at his friend suggestion to try to set him up with someone. After his wife, Floriana, had been killed by a rogue death eater three years before, following a period of deep depression he still had not completely recovered from, he had been extremely wary of trying to date other witches, his heart still crying in pain every evening when before going to sleep his gaze posed itself on the photo of his dear long deceased wife. It was a photo of her in the day of their wedding over 8 years before.

However, after Lucius had told him his suggestion for his new wife to be was a muggle, a cheerful and "eccentric" one even, he had surrendered to his friend suggestion. He was really fascinated by muggles, always had been to some degree. Lately however, in the last 2 years, his fascination had grown significantly. It was more than a hobby, it was a way to avoid thinking too much about Floriana, to put his sorrow aside while at the same time not being ready yet to let it go enough to move on.

After a while, a warm voice awoke him from his thoughts "Happy morning Mister, are you Felix Greengrass?" Felix answered at once, hoping that the very pretty, reddish woman in front of him who had just asked him his name was the Abby he was set to met. "Of course, It is me, the one and only, and how could it not be? There is only one me in this world, as there is only one you and only one of everyone. But allow me to ask you in turn my dear, are you Abby Blight?"

"Hahahahah you are so right! Sure I am Abby Blight Mister, ohh but can I call you Felix! I mean, we are here on a d-date after all! We should call each other by name shouldn't we? I hope I did not make you wait too much. If it is the case I am really sorry, but I was nervous cause I did not date someone since a loong time and so I did not know how to dress or what I would say but then I told myself: I am going to befriend someone, it is what I do best! There is not really much difference! So I came here mostly like I was before hahahah Hmm anyway, sorry again, I talk too much, what would you like to do?" Abby was embarrassed a little, she had just met her date and he was already intriguing her! He was handsome, warm, eccentric (like her! heheh) and funny. She could also see some resemblance of the old fashioned, aristocratic-like demeanour of Lucius in him.

"Certainly, I wholly welcome your point, let us call each other my name. Oh do not worry Abby dear, I did waited a little but that was time not wasted. I looked at the mu-people passing by the park, had some thoughts, met some cats. It was not a bad way to await. Also, even if the waiting time had not been as pleasant as it was, it would have been absolutely worthwhile to meet such a pretty and cheerful lady. Answering your last question, would you like to walk with me to a restaurant? It is around half an hour distant by walking. We could have a nice and enlightening walk together, and arrive at our lunch at the restaurant already a little acquainted with each other. Is my suggestion agreeble to you?"

Abby agreed and they had their walk, chatting happily about the buildings they saw, the most cool-looking people they met, about their common friend Lucius and about some of their tastes in food and books. Afterward, they had lunch together and enjoyed every moment of it.

They liked each other more and more as the date went on. Many tastes in common, a similarly fun-loving, warm and friendly personality, a similar curiosity and appreciation for "eccentric" things, both of them had a great time and agreed to a second date. In the following weeks they had many dates. At the end of the second week, Felix had decided that Abby Blithe would be his wife, and that he would so be able to introduce her to the wizarding world, a world full of things to discover and explore like she never imagined, a world she would love, and that he himself would love to guide her through and show.

Yes Felix thought, in a few weeks, in a few months, it did not matter how much time it did take, he would soon ask Abby to marry him, and when he did it, he would know she would say yes despite how soon it would be for such a proposal, it would be soon for a witch, even more for a muggle, but he would succeed.

Hermione Granger was on full mad mode, that was not good per se already, but the worst thing, that drove her even more mad, was that this seemed to be the norm since when the snobbish king of all the arsolish arseholes had decided to become a regular visitor of the store she worked to.

Since when the motherfucking ferret-maker had told her of his "change" in demeanor, her days at the store had quickly become utterly unbearable. The arsehole came basically every day now, and his quiet , casual-like behaviour had gone, in it's place there was a very charming, arrogant and pursuing one. He went around her at the bookstore keeping flirting with her in a bothersome and increasingly irritating way "Morning my dearest, what would you like to eat with me at the nearby restaurant, you know I can assure you it is quite good, even for a muggle one", " Oh my adorable fiancè, it is truly a pity to see such a talented and beautiful young lady like yourself waste her time in this… commoner scenario, leaving her promising brilliant future as potential Minister of Magic, and yes, even as the newest worthy addition to my Noble family, just out of mere griffindorish stubbornness" , " Ah, isn't that an erotic novel, the one you have just sold? If only you would consider putting your stubborn streak to rest, I could be a far more reliable source for those material than some plebeian muggle fantasy".

Things went on like these for 2 weeks, mostly he did it when she was alone at the store, but sometimes, to her horror, he did it also with other people present. It was becoming unbearable, no matter how icely or angrily she answered him and told him to stop and give up, the arsehole apparently could not stop being an arsehole. It also bothered her to no end the fact that somehow, a traitorous and increasingly big part of herself liked his flirting, a part that she, for her own sake, had to suppress and ignore at all costs.

At the end of the second week after he had began this new attitude, she decided that enough was enough, if the sodding arseholish ferret-maker was not able to stop himself from being a bothersome ass, she would teach him a lesson that would make him think twice before annoying her again. Yes she thought, if the arsehole does not go to the mountain, the mountain goes to the arsehole.

After a particularly bold flirt he had made, saying "I see you are particularly stressed today Hermione dear, would you like for me to make you relax? I am...quite skilled at massages, you know the most effective are also the most...intimate" she decided that enough was enough, she would put her plan into action. So she went to the bathroom, messaging Diego to keep the arsehole occupied while she called the police. Dialing the number, she spoke to an officer and told him about a certain blonde, middle aged male stalker that was constantly bothering her at her work place almost every day. Urging the officer to send someone to come take the stalker to the police for an interrogation and a detention, she also told the officer how the blonde stalker was mentally disturbed thinking that she was his fiancè. After the officer reassured her that some police unit would be there in less than ten minutes, she thanked him and closed the call.

Ten minutes later, she heard the outraged and demanding voice of Lucius Malfoy say "What is the meaning of this? I did nothing illegal, you have no proof of anything!" Hermione at that point got out of the bathroom and approached the arsehole while he was being held by two police officers, one man and one woman. Ignoring Lucius pleading look for help, she told the officers " I was the one who made the call, do not listen to him, as I told you he is mentally unstable and he is sorely mistaken, we have a security camera within the store that registered everything, we do not have the audio but the video should be proof enough. I will pass in the late afternoon by the station where he is detained to let you have the videos. Now please take him so that I and my coworker can resume our job in peace."

Under the shocked look on Lucius face, after telling Hermione in which station he would be detained, the police officers brought Lucius Abraxas Malfoy to their car. A car! He had never been into such a odd vehicle. He had heard about them, he still remembered fondly, although with a bit of shame, his joy at the day Arthur Weasley had been investigated at the ministry for having enchanted one. After "telling him his legal rights" such as that to call a lawyer, the officers made the car move and went, with him inside, to the muggle police station. Afterward, he was interrogated as to his reasons for bothering Hermione. "Damn those muggles! If only I still had my magic I'd turn you all into bugs and teach you not to mess with a Malfoy!" While he thought of that, he still could only help himself by speaking, charming and manipulating.

So, he tried to make see reason to the muggle police woman who was interrogating him, a quite attractive middle aged lady with black short hair and a slightly above average height, telling her " Mis" - to the warning look the woman gave him, he corrected himself - " I mean, officer, this is a complete misunderstanding, I merely like to visit that lovely bookstore every day as I am quite… full of free time lately, and since one of the shopkeepers is my fiancè, I often talk to her during my… visits to the store. I never did anything inappropriate or illegal, I always was a perfect customer and gentleman, I am sure the..videos my fiancè mentioned will confirm it."

The female officer, Lyla Ackerman, looked at that weird, suspicious middle aged blonde, with a mistrusting expression. Either the bloke was really mentally disturbed as the young shopkeeper, Granger, had told them, or he was a vicious and astute manipulator who was up to something shady and tried to look oblivious. In both cases, the bloke was not an "innocent normal customer" as he pretended to be, and there was no way she would believe he was for a second, so she told him "Mister… - " Malfoy, I am Lucius Malfoy... officer" He said with a serious and slightly charming-like expression.

Lyla did not seem to appreciate his "charm" in the least though, and icely continued "Very well then, Malfoy, If your behaviour was so "proper", HOW do you explain the fact that your so called fiancè has called us to take you away, claiming that you are constantly bothering her? How do you explain that her coworker agrees to her claims? Shortly speaking, how the hell do you justify your being called here in the first place by the same person you claim to be in such good touch with that she is your fiancè?"

At the silence following from the suspicious blonde, she told him "Your refusal to speak, while it is in your rights, is certainly quiet eloquent, and not in a good way for you, Mister Malfoy. I am forced then to act according to the request by Miss Granger and make so that you are detained here for two days and be issued a warning not to bother Miss Granger again without her permission. You are dismissed now, the officer out of the door will take you to your detention cell."

Lucius couldn't believe it, after a few moments, he, Lucius Abraxas Malfoy, found himself detained, in a muggle cell, by muggle police, because of the unbelievable stubbornness of his own fiancè.

How for Merlin's slytherinesque beard had that happened?! He should have to be more careful in the future, if his foolish fiancè thought this little joke of hers would made him give up on her, she was sorely mistaken.

Apparently she did not understand who she was dealing with, but she would know soon enough. He was a slytherin, things like this were nothing for someone like him, if she wanted to play cunning, then he would play, and would win as easy as breathing. No gryffindor, not even one as talented as his sweetly foolish fiancè, could ever hope to beat a slytherin in cunning schemes.

After he was released, he was more careful, never coming to see her while others were in the store, and controlling as to where the camera's gaze did not arrive. It worked… for a few days. At one point he went to her apartment, knocking endlessly for a few minutes, then a furious Hermione opened the door, telling him "What the hell have you in your brain cells?! I thought you slytherins valued self-preservation, are you so eager to be in a cell, a muggle cell, AGAIN?! Leave me the hell alone, or that is where you will be this evening, i SWEAR it! Just leave me A-L-O-N-E!"

After shouting this, his rather furious fiancè shut the door in his face, again. He did not leave though, he had to show Hermione that her attempts at driving him away were useless. So after a while he kept knocking again. She did not answer, but after further 15 minutes, the same officers that had arrested him the last time showed up behind him, the female one, Lyla, had a grin on her face. After an hour, he found himself, for the second time, in a muggle cell room. Damn Hermione stubborn Granger! She was getting annoying with her ridiculous attempts at making him desist. It irritated him sure, but it also made his pursuit more challenging and her future surrender to him a more sweet tasting success to look forward to. He went to sleep, that annoying female officer had stated that this time he would have to stay there three days.

After a few hours, a familiar voice woke him up with a mocking tone "Hello arsehole! Feel good among muggle prisons? I am sure you feel much better here than how I felt in your cold Manor dungeons before your sick sister-in-law had her fun with me." He froze, ashamed and offended at the same time. He did not spoke though and after a while she continued " You know, I would love to know how you feel knowing you are detained by the same people you deem as scum, that you helped kill and subjugate with your death eater buddies. Tell me, how does it feel to be kept prisoner, to be denied freedom, even for just a few days, by the ones you always have believed and still believe to be worthless sub-humans?"

He looked at her eyes, shocked at what he saw in them. In those beautiful eyes of his lovely fiancè there was in that moment hate, coldness, bitterness, but also something else, something he still struggled to believe she felt towards him, fear. He answered her "It is truly a shame to see such a talented mind as yours to be so prisoner of assumptions about things it does not know in the least. You do not know anything about my opinions on muggles, and you are not, apparently, in the emotional state to be open to believe anything I could tell you about it to correct your wrong assumptions. Know this though, Hermione, I will never give up, no matter how many times you throw at me this hateful disdain you seem to be prisoner of, no matter how many times you send me into a muggle cell, I won't give up. I will break through your foolish stubbornness and mistrust, and in the end, you WILL be my wife. Mark my words, you, within the next year, will be Hermione Malfoy, and nothing you can do will stop this inevitable occurrence from happening. I would suggest you to leave now, it seems we have nothing else to tell each other at the moment"

Shocked at his refusal to give her satisfaction, Hermione left, her heart torn between the fear-driven hate at his pursuit and the growing hope that she was completely wrong about him, the hope that maybe, just maybe, he had truly changed, that perhaps, the monster she so much feared was hidden behind that charming mask of his, had long died and maybe, had never really existed.


	8. Misfortune in her own Heart

Chapter Eight: Misfortune in her own Heart

Lucius Malfoy knocked at the door of the Grangers apartment at Oxford, where they had transferred one year before. It was Sunday morning and he had found out Hermione's parents location like she had done with her's, by asking Draco who had somehow become since an year friends with Harry Potter and more or less could give him most of the info about Hermione and her parents whereabouts.

Lucius had come by being apparated by Draco, who, albeit very reluctantly and after having tried for a whole hour first to convince him to give up his pursuit of Hermione who in his opinion was absolutely impossible to succeed and had been driving him crazy, then to persuade him of how his whole idea of trying to get Hermione's parents to convince their daughter to give him a chance was completely crazy and ridiculous. Lucius had calmly rejected his son "suggestions" and now was here to get the Grangers to agree to his own suggestion. After a few moments, Albert Granger opened the door and wishing him good morning, asked him what he could do for him

"Good morning to you Mister Granger, I have a quite… private matter to discuss with you and your wife, could I come inside?" After Lucius Malfoy said this, Albert Granger looked him better, his face seemed familiar, where had he already seen it?

It came to him then, the blonde man was that racist wizard they had encountered at "Flourish and Boots" when they had gone buying school books for Hermione in her second year! He was a Malfoy! Her daughter had told him and his wife everything about them. They were elitist racists, extremely wealthy, cunning, manipulative and could almost never be trusted.

With a wary expression, the now on guard Albert made Lucius Malfoy enter the house and invited him to sit down on a couch in the living room. He then called his wife Jeanette who greeted the new strange guest told him "Very well Mister, what can I do for you?".

Lucius was a little worried, he had noticed the wary expression Mister Granger had assumed after having looked at him more thoroughly and really hoped of not having been recognized. Be that as it may, he was there however and so he had to try his convincing, so assuming his most charming and pleasant expression he started talking "I am here to ask for help, for me and, most importantly, for your own daughter." At the mention of Hermione, the Grangers face became much more focused, pleasing Lucius, who so continued "A few months ago, as you probably know, your daughter Hermione accidentally activated a spell who betrothed her magically to another wizard. This made her decide, since she did not want to marry someone by being forced to, to seal her magic and go back living in the mug… in the non-magical world. I, Lucius Malfoy, happen to be the wizard she is betrothed to. You see, she is my fiancè."

The Grangers faces turned extremely worried. Albert was a mask of growing anger ready to explode, Jeanette expression was a mixture of indignation and concern. Trying to be as pleasant and reassuring as he could, Lucius continued "In these last months, I tried to convince her for her own good that her complete refusal to even consider trying a relationship with me was… unreasonable and a waste of her talent to renounce to all of her brilliant dreams and goals in the magical world only out of stubbornness. She, as you most likely know much better than me, is a very prideful and stubborn person. I very much admire those qualities, but they are currently harming your daughter. I, in these months, have become quite fond of Hermione. She is a very strong and talented beautiful young lady, full of pride and stubbornness and ambition who would take her very far if she only considered my pursuit. So, I have come to ask you this, will you try to persuade your lovely daughter, MY fiancè, to consider giving me a chance to prove her I can be worthy of being her companion? Because answering ask yourself this, Miss Granger, Mister Granger, do you really want your daughter to give up of her dreams and ambitions, what she has worked for since she was eleven, even going as far as bravely fighting in a war, just out of a stubbornness so absolute to not even consider marrying me?"

Jeanette Granger was the first to recover from the shock and outrage the words of Lucius Malfoy had brought on her and her husband. She too now remembered who the man was and was very concerned for her daughter, of course she had decided to go back in the non magical world if the alternative was marrying this… racist elitist war criminal. She had to tell this obnoxious and conceited man to leave Hermione alone and then call hermione herself to make her know of his visit and tell her to be wary and if there was something they could do to help her.

So she spoke to Lucius "Listen clearly Mister Malfoy, we do know who you are, and by knowing it we cannot blame our daughter to have taken such a drastic action to protect herself. Who knows what you may be capable of doing to her if she agreed to marry you. I am sure my husband also wants to tell you by himself, but for me, I assure you that I will never agree to such a request of yours. I am of course sorry that Hermione has had to renounce to her dreams in the magical world, but as we, she too believes that freedom is more important than power and ambition. So i kindly ask you to leave our house and never bother our daughter again."

Albert Granger was furious, how dared that racist snob to come here and ask them this! He would never allow this dangerous criminal to take away his daughter and possibly do her who knows what. So, with a calm but firm tone, he spoke "I agree completely with my wife. We reject your request and ask you to leave and never bother us and our daughter ever again. If we come to know you bother her and harm her in anyway, I will make sure you pass a long time in prison, wizard or not. Now, I would ask you to leave, we have nothing more to discuss"

Feeling utterly defeated and resigning to the fact that he had only himself on his side to win his fiancè over, Lucius answered "I am indeed… disappointed to see you seem to have currently the same lack of pragmatism and reasonableness towards this situation as your daughter has. I hope than when I will win over her affection, she herself will show to you that there is nothing she and you have to fear from me. Until then, my regards" Bowing slightly, Lucius then turned and left, leaving the Grangers wary and worried about their daughter.

Hermione had not seen Lucius Malfoy in the last five days, since when she had visited him in his cell and this, instead of making her feel relieved and content, somehow made her feel worried, nervous and, oddly, quite sad and disappointed. She had kept thinking about her last encounter with Lucius, yes she was now feeling more and more unable to think of him as arsehole or things like that.

The part of her who was attracted to him and persuaded he had changed was more and more strong every day. She kept thinking at how he had, since their encounter at Harry's office, always been polite and respectful, very charming and pleasant. He had always also been arrogant and patronizing, and overly flirting at times, but deep down, a significant part of her had enjoyed much of his arrogant confidence, of the way he kept calling her with endearments terms and of the concern, although patronizingly displayed, he seemed to often show for her and her feelings.

NO! How could she had allowed these traitorous feelings to develop in her heart! She could not trust Lucius Malfoy, the possibility that he had not changed and was just acting was very real. In the last days, along to her attraction for Lucius, had also significantly grown her fear of what would happen to her if she surrendered herself to his pursuit and married him only to discover that behind that charming mask, Lucius Malfoy was still the monster she feared he was. What would he do then? Would he crush her heart and soul with cruelty and horrors? Would he magically make her obey his every sick order and abuse her, torturing her if she disobeyed him for even the mere pleasure of hurting a mudblood? Would she become a complete slave to him, unable to leave him because of magics stopping her free will?

These fears grew every day within her as her attraction to Lucius made her surrender and their becoming a reality more possible. It was Sunday evening and she had just received a call from her parents regarding Lucius visit to them in the morning. Reassuring them, she had told them "Don't worry mum I have absolutely no intention to give in, ever, to Lucius Malfoy, I made him arrest two times already and this has forced him to give up for a few days and then to go to you, I am sure with a few more arrests he will give up completely… yeah you are right, love you too, and dad too, by mum!".

Settling for bed, Hermione kept thinking about her fears until she fell asleep. While she slept, her dreams were clouded by occasional flashbacks of Malfoy Manor and of the room in which she had been tortured more than four years before by Bellatrix Lestrange.

In the following days, Lucius came back at her bookstore, this time showing a demeanour who was a mix between the casual, quite behaviour he had showed in the first weeks, and the flirting and charming one he had expressed after. She sometimes answered him, weakly telling him, with little conviction, to leave her alone, When she saw him and talked to him, her expression showed a strong fear, fear of her own feelings towards him and of what they could bring her to. At nights, the flashbacks of the torture and of the Manor kept coming back that week, becoming more and more vivid and scaring.

On Friday afternoon, Lucius asked her approaching her when she was alone in the store "Hermione, are you sure you are well? In the last days you have been increasingly stressed and you show a strong fear whenever I interact with you. Please tell me what happened to make you so afraid of my presence. Seeing you like this at my sight worries me, extremely so. Tell me my sweet, what has happened? Let me help you"

Looking terrified at him, unable to find the courage to explain, because fearing that if she did admit her feelings she would surrender to them, she did not answer, she just ran, leaving the store and running away from Lucius charming, scary Malfoy, without looking back. Returned to her apartment she closed the door with the key and went to bed, hoping that this time the visions of her time at the Manor would not come back and that she would rest and feel better.

After a while that Hermione was sleeping, the flashbacks came back stronger than ever, and in little time they turned into a full fledged nightmare, a full memory of the night of her torture who had not tormented her dreams anymore since over three years. She saw Bellatrix looking at her with both worry and sadistic madness, asking her where she, Harry and Ron had gone at the Gringotts. After she refused to answer, the deranged witch tortured relentlessly with the cruciatus curse and she began screaming, both in her nightmares and in her bed.

For what to her seemed a very long time Hermione kept screaming, begging the deranged witch to stop, until Bellatrix carved the mudblood word on her arm. At that point though, the nightmare didn't stop, it continued, but different, unlike what her memory of the events after it were.

Bellatrix, after carving the mudblood insult on her arm, called Lucius, who had a mischievous, evil expression on his face, and told him "The mudblood whore does not talk to me, perhaps she will be more listening to your… methods don't you think AHAHAHAHH! After you have made her talk she is yours to play with until you get tired of her. Say hello to your new master little mudblood!" Lucius then took her in his arms and said "Hi my dear pet, let us go to our room, I have much more pleasant methods of my sister-in-law here to make you say the truth."

Afterward he took her to a separate room and bind her on a bed, he smirked and whispered evilly in her ear "We are going to have so much fun here and so many times, you can scream all you want, but right NOW is too late, you are trapped and you will EVER be able to escape, NEVER"

At that point, Hermione, terrified and hurt, screamed stronger than she had ever done that night, awakening, finally, feeling extremely scared, stressed and hurt. NO! It could not be that what awaited her. The Lucius she had seen in her nightmare could not be the same one who had been charming her, slowly capturing her heart in the last months. It had to be only a form of what her growing fears imagined him to be.

However, she did not dare to trust her hope and go to him. Instead, she screamed again in frustration and fear, and then started crying, hardly sleeping that night, among pain and stress, fear and sorrow tormenting her heart, a heart who did not dare to to believe neither fear, nor hope.


	9. Misfortune at the Blackmailer's Hand

Chapter Nine: Misfortune at the Blackmailer's Hand

It was very early in the morning, 6:10 am, when Hermione, extremely tired from a night she had mostly passed crying, heard knocking at her apartment door. Feeling hopeful it was Lucius, her heart too hurting and only wanting to be in his arms while he reassured her he was not the monster her fears thought him to be, she, without thinking, her emotions and tired state clouding her judgement, rushed to open the door.

Once she opened it, a tall man figure with black, NOT blond, hair, appeared in front of her. Before she could say anything, the man quickly hit her hard with a taser and all went dark. She awakened bound and gagged in small room. There was little light within it, only a few from the slightly opened door came. After a while, the man who had hit her with the taser came in, turning on the light.

Looking at her with an evil smirk, he said "Well, aren't you a pretty little thing. Once all this ends well for me, who knows, I could keep you as a toy instead of killing you. I guess you are curious as to what I want and why you are here right little bitch? You are here, for one reason only my little one, besides being my toy in the future of course." Approaching her more closely, closing his hands on her throat and looking at her in the eyes, he continued "You are here to make me RICH, thanks to the extremely generous donation I will ask your blonde Malfoy friend to make to my account, a donation he will do if he wants to have you back. Of course, he won't actually ever have you back, but he does not need to know that, it'll be our small secret eh my little toy?"

Pulling away from her and turning towards the door, before leaving, the man said "I am Dave by the way, remember it, you gotta know your master's name after all right? AHAHAH"

Lucius Malfoy, returning to his muggle house in the late morning, was worried, extremely so, he had not seen Hermione since she had ran away from him two days ago, leaving him at the store. The following day he had gone to her apartment but she was not there, actually, he had discovered horrified, her apartment door was opened, the bed was unmade and her clothes were near it.

Something very close to terror grew right now within him. Had she been kidnapped? As he got closer to his house the terror at the possibility of losing his fiancè grew even more, it was like the one he had felt only during the war, when he feared for his son's fate. Arriving to his house entrance, he saw a note hanging on the door's handle. Taking it, he began to read what was written on it. "The little bitch is really pretty you know? But I can give her back to you, if you donate one million to this bank account by two days from now. If you don't, you won't ever see her again. Donate, and I will give her back to you at the park outside the city at this address on the third day from now at early morning if you come alone and unarmed. If you try something stupid like police or anything else, you won't see your pretty little thing ever again.

PS: I know you have the money, the big house you recently bought was worth more than one million, so don't even try to say you have not the

resources to pay"

Lucius was furious, terror leaving gradually place to an anger he had rarely felt in his whole life. This muggle lowlife had no idea who he was messing with. he would make sure he regretted the day he was born by when this was finished.

None messed with a Malfoy and got away with it, not even the dark lord who had been tricked by his former wife, Narcissa, and certainly not some plebeian muggle criminal. Hermione was his soon-to-be-wife and who harmed her in anyway, harmed him. It was much more than that though, he had come to care for his stubborn fiancè very much.

He was not sure if he loved her yet, but he was almost there, he cared deeply for her already, and the terror he had felt at the thought of the possibility of losing her was quite a concrete proof of it. Hermione was his fiancè, the young talented and beautiful witch he was rapidly falling for and no muggle scum would take her away from him.

Lucius thought about what to do. He would have to satisfy the lowlife request and go to his meeting, where he would capture the bastard and make him pay dearly for what he done. The question was, how the hell did you donate to a muggle bank account? He had bought this house using an intermediary wizard friend of him who dealt in muggle properties, but he had no idea how to make large transactions himself and things like that in the muggle world. His intermediary unfortunatly was unavailable right now, being on a journey to find a customer in Spain. He would have to ask someone else but who? After a while, an unpleasant but inevitable solution came to his mind.

Yes, as much as he did not want to because of his pride, he needed to ask him, it was also, after all, the right thing to do for Hermione that her best friend knew what was happening. Right now he would have to contact Harry Potter.

Calling Draco on his phone he made him know what had happened and told him to get Harry Potter to his house as soon as he could.

Draco Malfoy was almost at the Ministry, he had apparated near it this time since he wanted to walk a little, he hoped to obtain an authorization from the DMLE to sell his new potion product about weakening aging. It worked only on people with a level of magic at least squib-like, and it made so that the person slowed his/her aging process considerably after hitting the 50 years old or later.

The potion didn't improve much the wizarding life expectancy of around 140 years old, but it made so that people got to it aging much less fastly. Using his potion, the person taking it once a year would have reached the 110 years old before his body began to appear older than that of a middle aged muggle. It was his biggest project ever. He had been working on it for the last three years and with the help of Slughorn(who in exchange wanted a third of the earnings) and of Snape "Half-blood prince" diary which Potter had given him when they had become friends.

He was almost at the ministry entrance when his muggle enchanted phone rang. Damn it, who was this time? His idiotic stubborn father of course! No matter how many times he tried to reason with him, his stubborn old man kept insisting on the impossible pursuit of Granger. He understood a little, after all it was extremely hard for him to imagine his father living without his magic, although Draco had also began to suspect lately that his father was now doing it also because he really had come to like Granger.

"Ok, let me summarize it once more, you are saying that Hermione know-it-all Granger has been kidnapped, because of you, and that I must go to Potter and tell him to come to you? How many times have I told you to give up with this madness! I knew it would cause trouble! Ah, it's useless anyway, ok, I will contact him, wait there and we will be there as soon as possible" After hanging up, Draco sighed heavily, this was going to be a very tough day.

An hour later Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy were in the living room of Lucius muggle house, both looking at him. Harry was glaring murderously at Lucius, while Draco was looking at him with an annoyed face who spoke "I told you this was going to bring trouble"

Harry was furious with Lucius Malfoy, not only he had been constantly bothering Hermione after she had told him countless times to leave her be, now his insistence had attracted the attention of a dangerous criminal who had kidnapped Hermione to blackmail him!

Fighting a strong urge to strangle the old Malfoy, he said as calmly as he could "I will go with you to pay the donation to the kidnapper's account. However, regarding the rescue, I can only do so much. As much as I hate to say it, you have to go alone, or most likely the kidnapper will not even show up. I and Draco will be around the area to try to avoid an eventual escape of tis kidnapper." Harry then looked Lucius directly in the eyes, glaring at him with a murderous look and saying "If Hermione is not back within the next two days and that criminal manages to get away keeping her with him, I will make sure you deeply regret the day your racist father spawned you Malfoy!"

Lucius fought a urge to gulp, Potter could be really threatening when he wanted to and besides, it was unwise to underestimate the man who had defeated the dark lord. So he said with a firm and yet calm, reassuring tone "You have nothing to worry about Potter, Hermione will be back, none mess with a Malfoy and gets away with it, well besides you Potter, as you showed me since your "liberation" of my house elf. Now, shall we go to the muggle bank and get the donation issue solved?"

Harry was impatient as they got to a bank nearby Lucius house and entered it. Wanting to solve the thing as soon as possible and begin exploring the meeting area, he quickly went to show Lucius how to make a donation to the criminal account.

When they went in front of the muggle employee man, Harry fought not to laugh at the employee's face in seeing Lucius money on his muggle account, an account who Lucius had already and that it had been made years before by his intermediary.

"V-very well, how much would you like to donate this other account Mister Malfoy?" Lucius was annoyed, it had taken half an hour just to pass through the long queue of muggle commoners waiting. It had been so shameful that a Noble wizard as himself had to wait like any muggle plebeian person for such an urgent matter. In the end the queue had ended though. he told the employee the account number to which they had to make the donation and awaited impatient for the employee to complete the transaction. After everything was done, Lucius, Harry and Draco left the bank and went to oversee the meeting place and the surrounding area.

As Harry walked with Draco through the area of the meeting place, he was asked by Draco "So, why isn't your Weasley buddy came with you? I thought he would have been extremely concerned about Granger and honestly, I was looking forward to see what he would have tried to do to my father for his role in this whole mess." Harry, unlike Draco, was relieved that Ron wasn't there, his friend was in France to try sealing a deal to open a secondary joke shop with George in Paris and couldn't come. It was better this way Harry thought, Ron's temper would have made the things more difficult. After telling Draco why Ron had not come, they resumed the work.

Hermione was terrified, the bastard who had kidnapped her hadn't given her anything to eat and once in a while came back to tell her how much fun he would with her have once he killed Lucius and got away with her. Once in a while he touched her throat, chest and face with his hands and looked at her with evil eyes, eyes hungry but not for food.

When she fell asleep at night, tired, scared and hungry, the nightmare of the former night came back, this time tough in it there was also her kidnapper, who entered the room Lucius had taken her in and said to him "After you get tired of the little bitch remember our deal and give her to me. I don't mind spoiled goods." Hermione began to scream as strong as she could and awakened, the door opened and she saw her kidnapper coming to her furious and starting strongly slapping her face, making her bleed, after he stopped he took once gain her throat in his hands and, looking at her with eyes full of madness, spoke "If you keep making all this noise and waking me up bitch, I will beat you up so bad you won't be able to say a word ever again understood?!"

After she nodded weakly, he threw her violently on the floor and left, closing the door strongly and locking it. Hermione remained awake, she hoped Lucius came and managed to not been killed and save her. It was her only hope. Otherwise, she would have a fate worse than death and Lucius, she thought painfully, would die.


	10. Fortune at the end of Misfortunes

Chapter Ten: Fortune at the end of Misfortunes

It was very early when Lucius had arrived at the meeting place in the park, around 5:00 am. It was late November and it was very cold. Potter and Draco were already hidden in the two exits of the park, ready to stop the lowlife if he tried to escape from the meeting.

Sitting on a bench, Lucius thought of his fiancè as he waited for the criminal kidnapper to show up. She had been so terrified of him in the last times he had seen her. What had caused such distress about his presence in her spirit? He felt a deep pain in his heart every time he saw her eyes full of fear towards him, looking at him as if he was some sort of terrible danger to avoid at all costs.

He had always thought her drastic rejection of him to be due to stubbornness and refusal to marry an ex death eater. Yes, when he had first shown up at her apartment she had been scared he may harm her, but he thought after he had reassured it was not the case she had realized it was an unfounded fear. In the months he had been pursuing her, until recently, she had shown him disdain, mockery, constant rejection, shock, but never fear. What had happened to her for such a terror towards his person to have appeared? It was indeed time for a much needed clarifying talk with his fiancè.

After he rescued her, he would also demand from her that she came to live in his house. She could stay in a separate room and not see him all day if she wanted to, but there was no way in hell he would easily accept this time that she stayed alone after being kidnapped.

"Morning rich guy! Did you like my choice for our meeting? I hope you did, cause you won't get too see another place in your life ever again… by alive at least. You see, I know I said that if you gave me the money I would give your little bitch back to you, and I will keep my promise." After saying this, Dave revealed himself, approaching Lucius who in the meantime had got up from the bench, and tossed violently a still bound and gagged Hermione to the ground near Lucius.

Having done this, he pulled out a gun and pointing it at Lucius, said " Now your little whore is with you. However, I did not specify for how much she would be after all did I? Let's see, she will be with you until I have killed you, then I will get her again and she will be my toy for a long time... Until I get tired of her that is, then I will kill her too or maybe I could sell her to someone who knows? Anyway, with you she will be for probably one minute or two, then you will be dead and she will be with me again rich guy. You see, I could have just left with her after you had made the donation, but I prefer not to risk you looking for me and eventually be a pain in the ass, old issues is better not to leave them unsettled you know? Now say your last words or prayers rich guy, you gotta be seeing hell in a few mom… fuck!"

Lucius did not wait for the criminal to finish his sentence, he ran and hid behind a tree near the bench. The criminal shoot him but didn't get him. "You talk far too much, if you hadn't bothered to speak so much you may have managed to kill me. I suppose you lowlifes are hopelessly dumb after all. Now what, are you going to do? I suggest you to throw away your gun if you want me to come out and have a chance to kill me. We'll fight with our bare hands. You won't win of course, but at least you will have a chance."

Dave laughed madly, and with an evil smirk, he answered "Oh I won't need anything like that rich guy. You know, there is a reason I brought your little bitch with me." After saying this, he pointed the gun at one of Hermione's hands and shoot. A scream of pure pain came from her gagged mouth, while blood began to come out in abundance from her left hand. "If you don't come out within ten seconds I am gonna shoot to another of her pretty hands, then one foot, then another, then one of her gorgeous legs and so on. What are you going to do rich guy, are you going to listen or will you stand doing nothing while your girl is shoot again and again? I am going to begin counting, one, two, thr…"

Not even waiting half of the lowlife countdown, Lucius got out of his hiding spot and rushed towards Dave, who saw him and tried to shoot him, hitting him only at an arm once though, before Lucius managed to get to him and punch him strongly on the nose making him bleed. The two began to fight physically and after a few moments, Dave started slowly drawing back.

Hermione was in deep pain, her hand where the disgusting criminal had shoot her did hurt like hell, but she had to help Lucius somehow! Help him save them both. Seeing that the scum was drawing back and being near where he was drawing back to, she rolled around getting just behind Dave while he was still drawing back, tripping him and making him fall on the ground.

As the lowlife fell on the muddy ground, Lucius went over him and began punching him repeatedly in the face. After a while, the criminal passed out.

Lucius rapidly went to untie Hermione and then tied up the lowlife with the ropes and gagged him with what he had used to gag Hermione. Taking the phone, he sent a message to both Potter and Draco to come over from their hiding spots saying he had knocked out the kidnapper. Then, he thought about calling the police. He REALLY did not want to call them.

What he wanted was to take the scum who had kidnapped and shoot Hermione and lock him up in one of his secret properties where he would make him pay dearly for what he had done and keep him imprisoned for ever. Hmm, perhaps there was a solution to this he thought. He couldn't take the lowlife now as he was still without magic. Also, right now he had to take care of Hermione, but if the lowlife did escape from prison, or when he finished his sentence, he would find him and make him disappear. Yes, then he would put him in a place where he would never be found, and where he would stay until his death.

Just as he was about to call the police, he got a message from Draco saying "We are coming, DON'T call the police yet, Potter and myself have come up with a plan to make him confess that will make sure the criminal goes to prison"

Hermione was hurting badly and kept losing blood, she was still very tired and weak, not having eaten even once since before her kidnapping and having had very little sleep since then. Rolling around to trip the bastard had taken a huge effort in her conditions. So, even if she was now free from the ropes and the gag, she couldn't find in herself the strength to move. "Lucius, c-come here… please, I-I have no strength left."

Lucius Abraxas Malfoy was stunned, rushing to his fiancè, she had called him by his name, asking for help, in a pleading tone very unlike the one she had always used towards him. This time there was no trace of disdain, hate, rejection, only an odd trustiness he had never seen her show towards him in anyway. "I am here, don't talk if you don't feel the strength to do it. Close your eyes, you are safe now, Draco and Potter are coming too. We will take care of everything from here, sleep." While talking, he bandaged her wound with part of his shirt, damn it! If only he had his magic he could have healed both their wounds without problems. He knew a few healing spells and he could have taken care of both the bullet and the wound. After he had bandaged her, he noted she had fallen asleep, exhausted, then he heard the voices of Potter and Draco, finally they had come!

"Father, are you ok? You are bleeding! Damn, both of you have been shot!" After extracting his wand and with it, using magic, pulling out the projectiles and healing Granger's and his father's wounds, Draco continued "If you have not called the police, we have thought about a plan. We can take the bastard to your house and make him believe we kidnapped him to know his account codes to get back the million you donated him. While he talks and accidentally confess, we will have a muggle device registering what he says and we'll use the registration as proof to give to the muggle police!"

"Excellent thinking, I want the lowlife to be in a cell, in a place as dark as possible from now on. We can go to my house then, will you apparate us?" Lucius was pleasantly impressed by his son cunning. Yes, the scum would soon be in muggle prison, but when he got released, soon after he would make sure to make him end up in a far different kind of prison.

An hour later, they were in Lucius large muggle home, in one of the bedrooms there was Hermione sleeping. In the large living room though, there were Lucius, Harry and Draco, all of them looking with a threatening gaze to the kidnapper, who was looking back at them, bound on a chair, with a very scared expression.

After a while, Lucius spoke "So, you thought you did a good job am I correct? Observing the habits of someone who had just bought a large house, kidnapping a person you saw he cared for, forcing him to give you all that money. Thinking of keeping both the money and the person kidnapped, a beautiful woman, as slave after killing the person you had blackmailed, me. You had all planned perfectly right? Such a pity you criminals seem to overestimate so often your capabilities. Now, tell us the codes for your bank account and, maybe, we'll let you go… unscathed."

Dave was terrified, what the fuck had happened? How could he have been the one captured? It was all fault of that little whore! She had tripped him while he was fighting the rich bastard! Well, he wouldn't give in to this fucker, if he managed to escape, at least with his money he could ran away, so he answered defiantly " I am not telling you anything you dumb fuckers! If you think you won you are much dumber than rich, I will escape and then I will get back that little Granger bitch and you will never see me again! You just explained my plan perfectly Malfoy, but while it has failed, it is just a temporary interruption, not only you won't have your money back, I will escape and you won't ever see your little bitch ever again!"

Draco smiled mischievously, the criminal had confessed, he rapidly went to turn off the registering device he and Harry had set up and hidden and then, turning to his father, said "Its done, we will take him to the police now, stay with Granger, we'll call you tomorrow.

Harry looked intensely at Lucius Malfoy, he still had doubts about him, but he had proved to really care about Hermione, he had risked his life for her, told him what happened and letting him take his memory to look in a pensieve as proof. So, Harry felt ok, although slightly uncomfortable in leaving Hermione with Lucius. Taking with Draco the screaming and fighting criminal to a car he had rented with a paid driver, he took the criminal to the police station.

That evening, Lucius was in the living room, having just began preparing his dinner, when he heard Hermione shouting his name from her bedroom.

Rushing to her room, he sat beside her on the large bed she was in and spoke to her "I am here, how do you feel? Potter and Draco have taken the scum who kidnapped you to the muggle police, they have a recording of him confessing, so he will surely end up in prison. We have... much to talk about my dear, there are some things I must know after this. We can discuss them after you have rested and eaten properly though."

A while passed with him awaiting her to answer, to say something, but she did not say a word. She just looked at him, with a hesitant expression as though she wanted to tell him something but was unsure if she should. After a while he said "Very well, keep resting, we'll talk when you are better." As he were getting up from the bed though, suddenly, her hand took his, stopping him, and saying something that not even in his most optimistic thoughts he would have expected her to say right now "Don't go, s-stay with me tonight, please."

Hermione was feeling still still quite tired and wanted to sleep, but she didn't want to sleep alone. Somehow, during the day the nightmares had not come back. After having seen Lucius risk his life to stop her kidnapper from torturing her by shooting her, she had finally realized her fears about her fiancè, yes maybe she could after all start to consider him as such, were really unfounded. Lucius wasn't the monster she feared, at least not anymore. Right now he was only her arrogant, irritatingly patronizing, but also charming, handsome and oddly caring pursuer.

She wanted to have him stay beside her during that night, to be in his arms and feel safe after two terrible nights. She also wanted to somehow definitely remove any deep-rooted remaining fear of him, by sleeping feeling safety in his arms. That was why at last she had won her hesitation and, swallowing her pride, she had asked him to stay with her.

As he, with a shocked but pleased expression, sat again near her, she said "I am sorry, I-I was wrong about you. I always rejected you like that and treated you that way not just because I didn't like the idea of marrying a former death eater. It was because I was scared, I feared that you could be a... a monster not much different from the one you just saved me from. I feared what could happen to me if I had actually married you, so I fought you tooth and nail, in every possible way. However, despite everything, somehow I have become increasingly attracted to you until a big part of me wanted to put aside my fears and consider that maybe behind the charming, well mannered mask you wore in front of me there wasn't a monster, that maybe that mask was not really a mask... but your real self. I did not dare to give in to that hope though, but also I couldn't find it in myself to treat you anymore like I did before, that's why in the last week I was so weird and scared whenever you were near me. I was terrified ok? I was creeped out at the thought that my feelings would make me surrender to you in the end and lead me straight to an hell."

Hermione paused for a while, sighing heavily before continuing "When I saw you risk your life without hesitation, to save me from being tortured, with no concern for yourself, I knew my fears were really unfounded, that my hope that you were not the monster i feared was not merely a hope, but the actual truth. I know now that you are not what I feared you were. You are just an arrogant… charming, refined man who has managed to open up to people he had been taught to hate for all his life. You made friends with a muggle, you pursued me non-stop as if I was someone really important for you, an equal, treating me with respect. I saw you buy muggle books of every kind that I would have never expected to see you buy. Hell, I never thought I would have ever seen Lucius Malfoy enter a muggle bookstore in the first place hahah! You are just the man I have become, despite myself, very attracted to in these two months, a man I… I accept as my fiancè. I won't unlock our magic just right away, and I won't assure you that after this night we will sleep together soon. But from now on I will accept your pursuit and we will be able to begin… dating and things like that."

Hermione was overwhelmed, she just wanted to eat something now and then sleep with the safety of having Lucius arms around her. She wouldn''t sleep doing it just like that after that night, it would probably pass some time before she allowed him to sleep with her again, but for this night, she needed it.

Lucius was stunned, feeling an odd mix of quite different emotions. Shame, for having being the object of such terrible and undeniably understandable fears from her fiancè. He felt joy and satisfaction at her admitting to be very attracted to him. Relief at the realization that she had finally accepted him as her fiancè washing over him. Of course he would happily agree to her request, although it would be difficult not to touch her sexually in anyway for a whole night while having lusted after her for weeks.

He had grown increasingly aware not only of her personality in his constant pursuit of her, but of course also of her looks. Suddenly though, a concern came to him for his fiancè, she hadn't eaten in days. He had made magically check her body fluids to Draco and he had told him she hadn't drank or eaten in over two days. Lucius had feed her some water as she slept, but still she hadn't eaten anything.

So he told her "I am ashamed of having been the cause of such fears within you, I acknowledge they were understandable considering my past. However, know this, even if I still considered you inferior, I would never mistreat you like that. I am not a monster, although I shamefully admit to have served one. Of course I agree to your request my dear. I will sleep with you tonight. I must also tell you that I am very glad to see you have finally accepted me as your fiancè. It was obvious you would of course, as I told you, there was nothing you could do to deny my charm. I assure you that you won't regret it, never. Now though, before sleeping, I would like for you to eat something. I know you didn't eat since before the kidnapping. I made you drink some water while you slept, but its not nearly enough. Also, I have a... request for you. I want you to live here, with me, from now on. After what is happened I simply can't accept the thought of you living alone without magic. it makes me … uneasy, extremely so. Also, since you have accepted me as your fiancè, it would only be proper after all that we came to live in the same house. You will be able to stay in a separate room of course until you feel comfortable enough to be in mine… in ours.""

Hermione was enthusiastic about finally eating again, the thought of transferring there though worried her a little. It made her feel nervous. However, she couldn't find it in herself to deny his request, because she also would have liked much not to be alone after what she had experienced, so she answered "Thank you for asking. of course I would really like some food. I will come down with you so we can eat then. About your request, although I am… nervous a little about it, I really don't like the thought of being alone after what has happened, so I… I accept."

After this exchange, the now by both of them acknowledged couple went to eat. They ate quietly, neither of them wanted to talk much. Both just wanted to go to bed and sleep with the other. Of time to talk there would be plenty of in the following days after all. So, after their dinner, Lucius and Hermione went back to her room, and settled into the large bed, comfortable in each other's arms.

Lucius held her tightly as she closed her eyes, and just before she fell asleep, he kissed her cheek and whispered, "You won't regret your acceptance of me, I promise you. After all these misfortunes, you gave me a fortune far greater than all of them, and I will do all that I can to make so that both of our lives will be filled with fortune and contendness in the future". After he had said this, both of them fell asleep, finally relaxed and comfortable about each other, and about their future.


	11. Fortune at Cohabitation

Chapter Eleven: Fortune at Cohabitation

Hermione woke up feeling, most of all, relaxed, more than she had ever been since the beginning of the betrothal with Lucius, maybe even more so than at that time. Yes, now she felt even better than before she had broken the betrothal seal, because she felt… loved. Of course, maybe the charming, arrogant snob in whose arms she had just woken up wasn't fully in love with her yet, neither was she after all, but still she felt contendness and serenity at thinking that she was no longer alone, that her life maybe was not meant to be just work and ambitions. Yes she had her friends before, but since she and Ron had broken up, she had isolated herself more and more, the hurt from the breakup had been big, too much big and she had never completely recovered.

She had tried dating someone else, but the two guys she had dated at the Ministry hadn't interested her much. They were nice, but she wasn't ready for a relationship after Ron. So, after that, she had ended up focusing completely on her work and on her career, hoping that this way her heart would have forgotten. It was...weird. She and Ron had broken up on friendly terms, but still both of them, probably her more than him, had hoped so much to have found a lifelong partner, that it had been very tough to move on acknowledging that they simply did not work as a couple and were much better off as close friends.

Now, finally she had found another person that was making her reconsider her workaholic stance. Yes, when she returned to the Ministry, she would have drastically reduced her work time. She would have still worked, and hard to pursue her goals and advance her career, but she would have left a big part of her time was also dedicated to other things, like her likely future husband. As she started considering her eventual future with him, she felt a kiss fall on her hairs and then on her forehead, a charming voice saying "Good morning Hermione, did you sleep as well as I did?"

Lucius felt at peace, a peace though, mixed with excitement. Finally his amazing fiancè had accepted him. Hermione, his stubborn, talented and stunning betrothed, had agreed to start dating him and living with him. Sure, she had still not agreed to unlock their magic and marry him, but he was very confident it was only a matter of time.

If he had managed to make her so undeniably attracted to him while she believed him to be such a danger to her, how could he possibly fail to make her fall completely for him, as he almost had fallen for her, now that she trusted him and lived in his house? "I did, it was the best sleep I ever had in… years actually." Saying this, she buried her head deeper into his chest, continuing "I feel free from the fears of the last months, but also i feel and… relaxed, like I haven't in a long time"

"I am very pleased to hear it, would you like to eat? Draco should call me this afternoon to tell me about the trial details for the criminal, but until then I am confident that none will disturb us, we can eat together, talk and do whatever you would like, even the most… pleasant things if you were eager to try them"

Hermione gulped at his last words, understanding the meaning beneath them. For the first time she really thought about the possibility of having sexual interactions with Lucius Malfoy, something that only a little time in the past would have made her feel ill at thinking it. Feeling bold, and curious about what her handsome pursuer would do, she raised her head towards him and said "Which "pleasant things?"

Taking her head in his hands, he smiled, a charming, mischievous smile, slowly nearing his mouth to hers, until it was only an inch away. "Oh the most pleasurable and enjoyable my sweet, let me give you an...example" After saying this, he kissed her, at first softly and slowly, awaiting her response. After she kissed him back, he answered by kissing her with more passion, in a strong and slightly possessive way, for a full minute, until she moaned into his mouth, before pulling away, leaving a pleased shock on her face. "This is an example, Hermione, just a small, delightful little one. Shall we go to eat now, my dear?"

Still a little shocked, she nodded and they at last got up from the large bed, going to the living room downstairs, to eat breakfast. Eating tea with cakes, they talked about what to do during the day. Hermione decided she wanted to stay with him inside the house for the day, looking with him through his muggle books collection, hearing his opinions about them and about muggles, nwo that she was ready to trust him on that. Thinking about his interactions with muggles, with a tiny bit of jealousy hidden in her tone she asked "So… how well do you know that shopkeeper now? Her name was… Abby I think. Are you two… close friends now?"

Sensing the jealousy hidden in her voice, amused by it, he answered "Abby and myself are indeed close friends, she was my only friend in this muggle world, and she made me understand how, after all, being a muggle does not make a person less… special or worthy than being a wizard. However, while she is undoubtedly quite attractive and interesting, and I may have, in other circumstances, considered more than friendship with her…. These are very different circumstances. I am only yours my dear. I know this now and I knew it when I met for the first time Abby Blithe, soon to be anyway… thanks to me, Abby Greengrass"

Hermione felt her tiny jealousy disappear, although she had been irritated a little by him saying Abby was attractive and he would have tried something with her in other circumstances, when he told her about having basically paired Abby with a Greengrass her jealousy faded and was replaced by a sudden curiosity "What do you mean? What did you do? And I am not jealous anyway!"

After telling her about how he did set up Abby with Felix, she said she wanted to meet them one day. "I will contact Felix and we all can organize a meeting the next week if you like. However, I wanted to ask you one more thing I didn't ask you about the last evening. Tell me Hermione, now that you have accepted me, do you think you will still work at the bookstore? In my opinion it is unnecessary and it would be… better for your… recover after what happened and for our dating if you stopped and resumed working, at the Ministry, when you will have unlocked our magic. However, I will of course abide by any decision you will do"

Thinking about it for a little, she thought what to do. Lucius was right, she had looked for a work in the muggle world to be independent in that world, because she had escaped in that world to be free from him. Now that she didn't want to escape him, her job in that bookstore wasn't necessary anymore. She would quit the following day, take some time off to develop her relationship with Lucius and then, after unlocking their magic, she would resume her work at the Ministry. However, she would not cut the ties she had built in the muggle world with Diego.

Having decided this, she told him "I agree with you, I will quit my job at the bookstore yes. I will take some time off from work for now. After I will unlock our magic,I will resume working at the Ministry. Regarding the meeting, set it up as you would like to."

After this discussion, they finished breakfast and went looking through the mugglebooks Lucius had bought in those months. He seemed to have liked many of them, he found quite amazing the whole idea of cosplay, as it reminded him of cunning and masks you had to wear in public at times.

He also particularly had liked reading the works of Sherlock Holmes, since cunning and deception skills were greatly praised in those books. "In my opinion though, Hermione dear, Watson wasn't a good assistant for such a great mind as that of Mister Holmes. What is good for someone who is constantly amazed at how difficult is for him to grasp truths that for you are indeed elementary?"

They talked about his opinion of muggles, whose cunning and ability to manage a lot of things despite the lack of magic appealed to him, although "I still believe they are unrefined and plebeian, but after all, so are many of the commoner wizards."

He talked her of his friend, Felix Greengrass, and Hermione was thrilled to discover how he seemed to be, from Lucius description, a some sort of refined and aristocratic version of Arthur Weasley, although she would not tell Lucius that.

After lunch, Lucius was called by Draco regarding the trial for Dave, who would be decided in the following weeks. Afterward, he contacted Felix(who had acquired a cell phone since he had began dating Abby. "Greetings my friend, Hermione would like to meet you and Abby, would you like for us to meet for dinner in a few days?"

Felix, pleasant and warm as ever, answered him with an alternative proposal "Sure, I would love to meet the famous Hermione Granger, soon to be Hermione Malfoy. I assume your pursuit is finally having success my friend! Congratulations. I will ask Abby about it. She wanted to meet your fiancè since first she met her after all. I believe we could meet at a cosplay private party we will go next Friday. It will require us to dress in cosplay outfits. It will be so delightfully amusing my friend! I am sure Abby will be absolutely excited of you participating! Very well then, This is the address of the party. To next Friday Lucius!"

When the evening came, Hermione felt uneasy, she had wanted to wait a while before sleeping again with Lucius, but her resolve about that decision had been increasingly weakening during the day. Also, by sleeping with him, probably she would have tasted more of the pleasure he had promised her. This thought gave her a mixed feeling of excitement and wariness though. She desired him, also in a sexual way, but acting on it would have probably been the final step in accepting him and she felt uneasy about doing it so immediately after she had overcome her fears about him. So, despite a lot of hesitation, she returned to bed alone that night and the following ones that week.

Their cohabitation proceeded so quite well. Lucius and Hermione began going out at places, like stores and parks, eating together, knowing each other better without(mostly) being at odds with each other. This went on well, until Friday, that delicious and fortunate, fateful Friday, came.


	12. Fortune through the Cosplay Party

Chapter Twelve: Fortune at(after) the Cosplay Party

It was late afternoon when Hermione and Lucius knocked at the door of the large apartment where the cosplay party had been organized. A woman dressed up as Jack Sparrow opened the door, exclaiming excitedly as she saw them "OMG you are both so cool! It is a pleasure to see you Lucius, and of course it is also amazing to finally meet you properly Hermione. I am Abby, Lucius spoke me so well of you do you know? Ah your cosplay outfits are so cool! Who are you? Are you wizards? These robes look like it. Tell me come on! Ah, sorry, I talk too much, enter of course before I make you stay in front of the door all the evening talking"

Hermione was amused and immediately captured by Abby's cheerful and warm behaviour. It was like a warming shining light you wished that nothing would ever make it disappear. After she and Lucius had entered the apartment, they looked around. It was full of people dressing as characters of any kind, from fantasy tropes to famous movies to literature characters. Lucius had dressed up as Merlin, or so he thought, with its elaborate slytherinesque robes part green and part silver. After he told Abby, she looked at him slightly perplexed and told him "hmmm but if you are Merlin, why did you keep blond hair? And where is the long beard? And these green robes?" Forcing himself not to appear irritated in the slightest by the question, putting up a (fake) pleasant smile he answered her "I am merely Merlin in is… more young years, when he was more… vigorous. Regarding the robes, well, because obviously the greatest wizard ever exi… I mean, ever known was a sly… a sly fellow, but also a refined and undoubtedly wealthy person, so it is only… proper for him to have elegant robes, and green and silver aren't a refined combination?" Looking at him in awe, Abby answered "Oh I see, of course it is cool!"

"Greetings dear! I assume you are indeed the famous Hermione Granger! I am Felix, Felix Greengrass. It is an honor and a pleasure. Lucius talked me much of you of course. It seems your fame is well deserved indeed. Ah but what does your attire represents? I can't resist from telling you, mine is from a famous mug… I mean… a famous character from recent popular literature, a certain Batman. I discovered him the last week. I rather like him although I have to admit his personality is too much… reserved for me. You see dear, I love friendliness and that fellow is just too much lacking of that quality."

Hermione was quite impressed at the eccentric and handsome new gentleman who had just talked to her with such genuine interest. Yes, he was exactly as Lucius had described him. Pleasant, warm, interested in muggle things. She answered him "I am happy to meet you too, Mister, I am dressed as Morgana. Yes I agree on Batman, he is very reserved, but it is often considered part of his charm"

Making a satisfied look, Felix replied "Ah I see, So you are Morgana and Lucius is Merlin! Quite a compatible choice! Ah but you must tell me hermione, ah can I call you Hermione, you may call me Felix of course. You must tell me, as you grew up among muggles, what is your outlook on the ways we could implement muggle technology into our world? I am eager to know since I myself have…" - " "Now my friend, I must interrupt you, I am convinced you will have OTHER opportunities to talk with my fiancè. I believe your date needs you right now as she told me that she waits for you in the other living room to make a quiz with you about… guessing what the cosplay outfits represent."

After Felix had left to look for Abby, Lucius looked at Hermione and said nonchalantly "I take you have liked my friend, he can be a bit… overwhelming as you saw, but he is a remarkable friend. However my dear…." Approaching her closer he whispered in her ear "No wizard can match Merlin, you as Morgana should know it well and I assure you… this one will become "extremely" pleasant soon"

Hermione shivered at his words, his renewed promise of pleasant things exciting her again. She kept thinking about it as they went around observing the party and occasionally chatting with the other guests about their cosplays. After a while, once they had also eaten a little of the food available at the party by buffet, they decided to leave.

Once they had returned to Lucius house, Hermione went to wash into the bathroom but as she was going inside, a hand stopped her from behind. Lucius put both of his hands on her shoulders, and as she stayed still, unable to move from the excitement of his promise washing again over her, he kissed her hairs before whispering slowly and mischievously to her "I think I have promised you something, now Merlin certainly cannot... avoid keeping his word, especially a Malfoy, don't you agree my Morgana?"

"Yes" She said simply, as he began kissing her hairs again and then her neck, again whispering "Now, If you still wish to go to bath, I can provide a far better and more… relaxing experience about it." After saying this, he took her in his arms and carried her within another, much larger bathroom, in a room of the house she had never seen before. It contained a large tub, almost pool-sized, the tube fully filled with warm water. Putting her down, he began stripping her of her cosplay outfit and, sensing her nervous breathing saying to her "Now, I recall I told you of my abilities regarding washing… stress away once, when we were at the bookstore." He had just stripped her of everything except her underwear. Beginning to caress her bra, stimulating her nipples and kissing her neck from behind again, making her moan, he continued "I am sure I also told you how the most… relaxing massages are also the most… intimate"

 **Beginning of explicit scene**

After saying this, he removed her bra and her panties, then, after kissing her passionately, he let her start stripping him too, slowly as she explored him like he had. Removing his outfit, she caressed his torso with eager hands, earning a gran from him as she caressed his groin, removing his underwear and revealing his erect member.

After she had finished stripping him, he kissed her again, strongly and deeply, making her moan as he laid them both down on the tub and began caressing her breasts, washing them and stimulating them with his hands.

A while later, he focused on her pussy, caressing it and stimulating it with increasing passion under the water of the tub with his hands

As she was close to climax, he stopped and asked her "Sit my dear, I have a… ultimate pleasure to show you before we pass to the final part of my promise." After she sat on the tub, he passed to kissing her legs and then, soon after, her pussy, devouring it with his mouth. A while later, her increasingly loud moans turned into a scream with her mouth shouting his name and them calling Merlin's name as she recovered from the shakings her orgasm had caused her.

"Now I am pleased to see you liked so well our "disguise", but remember Hermione, my name is the one you just screamed, not Merlin. Shall we begin the final part of my promise now?"

"I-I have no objection to this. You know… it's been very long since my last time, but I already did it a few times, three, not many but a few times I have done it so you don't have to worry about hurting me." After Hermione had, with a slightly nervous tone, told him this and had returned into the tub, with her back on the wall of the pool, he laid himself over her into the tub and, looking at her straight in the eyes, told her "You don't have to be nervous my sweet. It is of pleasure only I talked about in my promise, nothing else". After reassuring her so, slowly, he entered her. Kissing her breasts as he started increasing his pace, a while later he passed on kissing her mouth as he came within her, shouting her name with possessive desire.

 **End of explicit scene**

Afterwards, they remained in the tub for a long while, in each other arms, satisfied, without saying anything, simply enjoying each other intimate presence.

Hermione was happy, yes, finally, after a long time, she felt truly content. For the first time, she could say to be glad, very glad in fact, of having broken that seal months before at the DMLE, it had led her to find happiness once again, after her break up with Ron over 3 years before.

She would still work hard for her goals and her ambitions, but she wouldn't overdo it as she had done before to cloud her unhappiness at being alone. Now, she thought satisfied, not only she wasn't alone anymore, she was with someone who she deeply cared for, that she was falling in love with, and that she knew was falling for her too.

Thinking at what had just happened, Lucius felt satisfied and content. Finally this talented and gorgeous young woman was his, and he would find great joy and contentment in guiding her through life, in her political goals, in learning more about magic, wizarding society, sexual pleasures. He cared for her and had almost fallen in love with her. Yes, his future was beginning to appear extremely interesting, in a very good way.

"Thank you. If you had not kept pursuing me, despite my countless rejections, I wouldn't be here right now. I wouldn't be happy as I am, in the arms a person I am rapidly falling for, who very soon will be my husband, and that since tomorrow… will have, like me, his magic back." Lucius was shocked, not daring to immediately believe her words.

"Are you sure my dear? Are you really ready to accept me completely and irrevocably?"

"Yes, I have no doubts anymore about this, about us. I trust you. I know you will not harm me, ever. I know you care for me as much as I do for you. I am ready. Tomorrow, I will unlock our magic." After saying this, Hermione kissed him deeply, putting in her kiss the determination regarding the commitment she had just expressed to him in words, sealing this way their fate.

After this, they got up and went to bed together, embracing each other tightly as they thought about their future. A future that would be filled with fortunes, sealed in the aftermath of a cosplay party.


	13. Fortune is enchanted

Chapter Thirteen: Fortune is enchanted

Lucius awakened first, it was still early, around 7:00 am, he looked at his soon to be wife sleeping in his arms. She was peaceful and serene, like when she had closed her eyes before falling asleep after their love making in the tub and her promise of unlocking their magic.

Lucius got suddenly excited, finally! After all those months, he would finally have his magic back! He couldn't wait for Hermione to wake up! He would wait sure, but he felt like a child on christmas morning, excited to open his presents. He looked again at Hermione's sleeping face.

Finally this gorgeous, amazing witch was his, he had almost lost her and his magic because of his past mistakes. Because of his past foolish mistakes, of when he had joined the death eaters in both wars, joined a group of criminals fighting for a madman in the name of, he realized totally now, mad ideas on blood purity.

Thinking about those mistakes, and looking still at Hermione's sleeping form, he felt a deep shame, her torture at his Manor coming to his mind. He would have to thank Molly Weasley one day for having killed his sick sister in law who had caused such harm to his fiancè.

He cringed remembering the terrifying screams she had made as Bellatrix tortured her. Thinking at how he had also almost lost her recently to another crazy criminal, kissing her forehead softly, he vowed to make sure she would never risk being in such danger ever again.

As he watched her, after a while also their lovemaking of the former evening came to his mind. Yes, he couldn't wait to make her learn more the pleasures of the eros. It was something he looked forward in guiding her through as much as helping her reaching the heights of power. Oh what he would teach as a lover, when he would have his magic back! His impatience grew more and more, until an idea came to him, why wait? He could awake her and teach her something very pleasant at the same time.

 **Beginning of explicit scene**

Smirking at his idea, he began acting on it. Slowly, he pulled away the covers surrounding he and Hermione. Afterward, he, carefully pulled away from her, going down, positioning his head in front of her pussy. After having carefully pulling down her panties, he went near it and, slowly but with an increasing speed, began kissing it, licking it, devouring it.

Hermione was dreaming about finally unlocking her magic, in the dream excited about finally being able to cast spells, to return to what was HER world, then, suddenly, she felt very pleasant sensations out of nowhere, making the dream disappear and awakening her. Still with closed eyes, not yet quite aware of being awake, the pleasure she was feeling increased, making her moan and finally, making her open her eyes. She looked at her side, Lucius wasn't there, then, she looked in front of her, and, with pleased shock, saw a very focused Lucius sightly raising his had from her pussy, looking mischievously at her for a moment, saying seductively "good morning" before returning to devour her, making her moan more and, a while later, scream and shake in the bed.

 **End of explicit scene**

Getting in bed with her again, embracing her, he said "So, how do you feel this morning my sweet? From your former reactions I assume not unwell, am I correct?""

Blushing, she faked a irritated face, answering "hmmpf, If you know it already you don't need to ask…. however… I won't object to other wake up calls like the one you just gave me in the future."

They stayed in bed for a while longer, not talking, until Hermione kissed Lucius passionately and said "So, it is around 7:00 pm now i think, why don't we get up, have breakfast and start preparing the ritual to unlock our magic?"

Not making her tell him twice, he nodded and they got up. While they were having breakfast, Hermione thought of what had happened to her in the last week and an half, since her kidnapping, then a thought came to her. Her parents! She had still to tell her parents she had accepted Lucius as her fiancè. She immediately thought of her dad. He would be… VERY uneasy about it, sure, but maybe he would still manage to accept it, handle the situation like the civil, quiet and rational person he had always been… right?. After finishing her tea, she so spoke to Lucius "I think we should visit my parents tomorrow, I must tell them we are together now. It won't be easy for them to accept it at first probably, especially for my dad, but we have to do it"

Not exactly pleased at the thought of having to face Albert Granger again after the threats he received in his last visit to the Grangers, but agreeing with his fiancè that they had to go, he agreed. "We will go tomorrow if you would like then, now… shall we go to prepare the ritual? I know very well how it works, since I happen to have studied it in the past for a project that… the dark lord planned to implement. Thankfully it never happened"

Hermione agreed and they went on a large empty room that Lucius had prepared for eventual rituals like this in the house. Closing the windows and with only some candles lightening the room, they began the ritual. An hour later, a shining yellow and white light signed the end of the ritual. Lucius was overly excited, taking his wand he shouted "Lumos!", enlightening the room completely. Hermione, in that moment, while she looked her fiancè smiling triumphantly, felt something within her, suddenly, her already strong attraction, both physical and emotional, for Lucius, increased even more and became very solid, the enhancement was active once again.

Yes, she could feel it, just thinking of Lucius now made her feel warm inside, thinking at their life together, travelling together, pursuing politics, staying together, made her feel a longing she did not believe possible to feel for a romantic partner. In that moment, she also realized she would never be able to leave him. Now she needed him to feel happy almost like the air to breath and she knew he most likely had to feel the same. Oh and the physical attraction, it had grown much stronger too, now, only thinking at their next lovemaking made her feel like a starving person in front of a feast. Looking in his eyes, she knew with certainty that he felt exactly the same way.

Taking her head in his hands, Lucius looked at her in the eyes and told her "It is done now, you feel it right my sweet? From now, we are bonded together, and we won't be able to leave each other, because we would never even think of it. We are one now, we need each other to feel whole, to feel….serene. Since our attraction was already extremely strong, the bond caused by the enhancement is also very strong. I promise you once again, Hermione, you won't regret this decision, and I will pass the rest of my days in making sure you won't ever regret your acceptance of me" After saying this, he kissed her deeply, and both of them felt a need, both physical and emotional, for each other overwhelm them. They wanted to fulfill that need, they could not wait, they needed to release the overwhelming emotions the activation of the enchantment had brought to them

 **Beginning of explicit scene**

As Hermione returned his kiss passionately, Lucius , pulling away from her lips, looked at her eyes, hungry for him, and, taken by a sudden urge, pushed her to the wall of the room and fastly took off firstly his, and then her clothes, Afterwards, he began devouring her, kissing her and touching her greedly, her mouth, her neck, her breasts, then going down on her legs and her pussy.

Hermione felt lost in the sensations which both the activation of the enchantment and Lucius actions were relentlessly awakening in her. Her lust, mixed to her love yes that was the only word who could describe what she was feeling for him, drove her wildly into emotions she had never felt this intense in her whole life. As she let out a scream from Lucius eating of her pussy, he proceeded to penetrate her fastly with his fingers, not even giving her orgasm the time to finish before he started. Just before she came again, he suddenly stood up, kissing her in lost passion and, immediately afterward, looking her in the eyes again, their hunger for each other clear to them, palpable in their breaths, in their almost animalistic rushness for the other, in their eyes, in their unmistakably expressive faces. In a moment, Lucius pushed himself within her, beginning thrusting inside her strongly, keeping her on the wall by the arms with his hands. A few moments later, both of them came with their lips joined with a strength who reflected their need, their desire for each other.

 **End of explicit scene**

Slowly pulling away from her, Lucius, like her still breathing heavily and overwhelmed by pleasure, said "You felt it.. didn't you? The need, its force, it was so strong because our attraction was already... so great. We are one now" Kissing her again, he then went slowly whispering to her ear, still breathing "Now I really am only yours, and you really are only mine… my love"

Feeling a deep contentment and fulfillment wash over her, melted by his last words, she crushed him in a strong, tight embrace, whispering back to him a simple yet completely eloquent "Yes, I know… love"

Afterward, they went to the tub room, relaxing in each other embrace within its warm water, until lunch time came.

Having eaten, Hermione and Lucius went back into the empty room, this time to practice their returned magic together. They did various spells, playing with each other a lot. In the end, they even dueled with each other, only using light spells, like expelliarmus and using creatively non fighting spells like "Accio" and "Wingardium Leviosa", both of them won one duel before they finally stopped. It was around 5:00 pm. Lucius suddenly remembered about the possibility of his fiancvè getting pregnant from their lovemaking of the morning and of the former evening. So he went taking one of the many contraceptive potions he had taken with him when he had gone living in the house, at the time not quite daring too much to hope to be able to make use of them after just a few months. Going back to Hermione, he gave it to her, who was quite embarrassed by not having thought about it herself.

After playing gobstones together, the couple then had dinner, chatting pleasantly and talking, in the end, about their visit to her parents. Deciding they would arrive there on early morning, around 8:00 am, to be sure to find them there, they went to see a movie in the living room. Lucius had been convinced by Hermione to buy a dvd player and a large tv two days before, and now Lucius would get to see a movie for the first time.

The movie, "Pirates of the Carribean", who Lucius had decided to see to know about Abby's fixation with the protagonist, was quite liked by him. "Jack is quite… plebeian and yet in his genius there is something... grand about him. I understand how Abby and so many find him fascinating. What do you think Hermione, are you too fascinated by the cunning scoundrel?"

Putting down her coke, she answered "he is… appealing, I am not surprised you like him, after all he is very abstute and cunning, even his recklessness is often well thought. I bet you liked the other main character, Will, much less, he is totally what you would call a reckless griffindor after all"

"Oh I can appreciate recklessness and bravery, after all they are some of your most appealing traits" After saying this, Lucius took her hand, the movie now finished, and suggested her to go to bed.

Once in bed, both of them talked for a while, about the muggle books Lucius had began reading, "The Lord of the Rings", and of other small things. In the end, Hermione told him "Thank you, thank you for the last days, for having pursued me so much despite all the odds. I don't know our future, but if it will be half as amazing as these last days have been, I REALLY look forward to it."

Kissing her, before closing his eyes, Lucius answered "They will be, I promise you, this is just the beginning, a very pleasant beginning i must say, but just the beginning." Afterwards, they fell asleep in each other embrace, happy and hopeful about their enchanted, future fortunes.


	14. Fortune through Mistrust

Chapter Fourteen: Fortune through Mistrust

Albert Granger was getting a coffee to himself and his wife in the living room, preparing a tray to bring it to her in bed, enjoy a relaxing, nice breakfast with her in their bedroom like they did sometimes in their free days. It was 8:10 am, he thought of Hermione as he finished preparing the tray, hoping that his daughter had finally managed to be free from the pursuit of that old dangerous man which for a joke of the fates had forced her to leave the wizarding world.

Ah!, that obnoxious snob! He had even come to them once, to ask them to convince their daughter to give him a chance. He had to mental, perhaps it was a normal trait for those ex wizarding criminals, mental illness.

Yes he surely had to be mental, because a normal person would have certainly understood that there was no way in hell, magical or not, that he was going to persuade his daughter to pursue a… non platonic relationship with such an older and dangerous bloke. It was much more likely to be the opposite if ever.

Just as he was still having these thoughts and had finished preparing the tray, he heard the doorbell ring. Who could be at this early time?

He went to the door and through the keyhole saw Hermione's. Ah what a pleasant surprise, opening the door he opened his mouth to welcome his daughter, when he saw another person walking behind.

As he saw who that person was, he almost fainted. No he couldn't be, this had to be an allucination, what did he had eaten the last dinner?

trying to recover, he said "Hermione love, how are you? Come inside, mum is still in bed but I will go call her and we can have breakfast together. Tell the snob to sod off and come inside pumpkin come on."

"Dad, he is with me, we have to talk with you and mum, can we come inside?" After saying this, taking her father shocked but silent face as consent, Hermione entered with Lucius inside the house and settled with him on a couch in the living room, saying " can you call mum now? We will have all breakfast and we will talk"

"W-what do you mean with "we"? When did this… and you become "we"? What did happen, what did he do to you love?" At his daughter pleading face, Albert decided to let the thing slide for the moment, and agreed to go call Jeanette.

"Jeanette get up! There is Hermione! And there is also… THAT… man. What do we do?" At her husband anxiety, jeanette understood immediately who the "man" was. The dangerous, potentially mental ex criminal had come back… with their daughter. She hoped it did not mean what she and probably Albert was fearing it meant.

Regardless, she had to be calm and rational about it, for her daughter and also for Albert, who at the moment was too much overwhelmed to think clearly about the issue. "Al dear, let's go to see what it is that he wants. We must keep calm and not freak out, for Hermione, ok?"

Nodding reluctantly, Albert went with his wife back in the living room to talk with Lucius and Hermione. He was fighting hard not to panick. HIS little girl, with... that! No, he was just imagining it, it had to be for something else that the bloke was here with hermione. Yes, it HAD to be

"Very well, now that we are all here, tell me pumpkin, why are you here with… him?! Didn't you tell us by phone that you had the situation under control? That you were going to make him arrest to force him to stay away? What happened Hermione love?"

Hermione looked at her dad with a careful gaze, as she feared, this would be difficult. Hell, she did understand his reaction perfectly, she would probably have gone crazy if just a few months ago someone had told her she would have been Lucius Malfoy's fiancè.

So with an understanding tone, she tried to tell her father the truth "Lucius…" "LUCIUS? How it is that you call that ba…"

At Jeanette warning look, that reminded him of her plea at calm, he corrected himself "that you call him by name?"

Sighing, Hermione continued "I call him by name, dad, because,since some time… we are together, for real this time. I have… willingly, freely accepted of being with him. Things happened and now I know I have nothing to fear from him. He is not the same person he once was. I… I like him, I am happy with him, and I want to be with him. This isn't something I decided to get back my magic. Even without magic… I would still want him, I am sure of it."

Albert Granger had always been a quite, reasonable person. He very rarely lost patience, he was a polite, nice and friendly, somewhat nerdy person. However, sometimes for everyone there are moments in which even the most quiet people reach a limit that make them lost their cool in such a way that they would never believe it possible.

This, for Albert Granger, was one of these moments, and he made it clear after the revelation he was terrified of, came from his daughter. His little, brilliant and beautiful daughter, was going to marry an over 40 years old man, a dangerous criminal, who had fought for a madman to kill people like her! No, this couldn't be, this had to be a mistake.

The sodding snob had to have blackmailed her somehow or maybe had asked some of his criminal friends to brainwash her with… how was that spell? Yes, Imperious! Something like that had certainly happened. He HAD to do something, he had to save his pumpkin while he still could. "Jeanette, do you remember that magnum we bought for emergencies when Hermione told us of that Voldemort criminal return? Get it, quickly, we are still in time"

Going to her husband and looking at him directly in the eyes, Jeanette urged him to sit down on one of the two couches of the room, and to calm, saying "Please Albert, let's hear them out, we have to trust Hermione. You know she wouldn't be talking like this without good reason." Seeing that it wasn't working much and that, after having sat down, her husband was beginning to panick, Jeanette told him" Breath Al, in and out, in and out, with me, yes, like this, you know how, in and out, in and out…"

After he had calmed, Jeanette told him again "Now Al, let's hear them out and stay calm ok? For Hermione. Can you do that dear?" As he reluctantly nodded, she looked at Hermione and Lucius, quite worried at Albert behaviour. and said "Hermione, can you tell us precisely what happened that made you reconsider your relationship with Lucius Malfoy? Only a few weeks ago you told me, again, that you wanted him completely away from your life. So you understand how for us, this sudden change is.. surprising. We are ready to hear you out however, and we trust your judgement., Your dad does too, he was just shocked right now. Can you tell us what happened?"

Collecting herself, feeling a little bad for her dad shock, she spoke "After I called you, just some time later, I was very frustrated. I was already liking Lucius a lot, and i still was fighting that attraction, because i feared of what might have happened to me if i had surrendered to my feelings and married him. I didn't know if i could trust him, so I did everything I could to reject him. In the months he has pursued me though, rejecting my feelings became more and more difficult. After I called you, it became almost impossible to me, the following week, to do so. One evening, I had literally ran out of the store i worke d to, because I couldn't face him and tell him to leave anymore, I didn't have it in myself to do so. The morning after… I was kidnapped. "

Shivering at the memory of Dave hands on her body, of his voice promising her an horrible future with him, she continued "I was kidnapped by... a man who wanted to use me to blackmail Lucius into giving him money. I… escaped in the end, thanks to Lucius. The deal was me in exchange for the money. A deal the kidnapper did not intend to honor since the beginning. So, at the time of the exchange, the kidnapper tried to kill Lucius, who managed to get into a hiding spot. However, the kidnapper threatened to… torture me until Lucius came out. In that moment, even before he started acting on the threat, Lucius got out of his spot and went to save me. He risked his life for me, for sparing me pain. I saw it with my own eyes, I saw the proof that he had not been acting in the time he had been pursuing me. I saw the proof that he had really changed. So. after we captured the kidnapper, I gave in to my feelings and accepted him. I have also unlocked my magic since then. I am finally a witch again. I can go back to work for what i prepared myself for since I was eleven!

Anyway, as I told you, even if I did not have my magic back by accepting him, I would still want to be with Lucius. I… I love him. He is a big part of my world now, like I am part of his. I know all this is hard to understand, so suddenly, but I had to tell you. You are my parents and you deserve to know. I hope you will accept my decision. If you don't… i will still be with Lucius, but I will be less happy than i could be"

Albert swallowed hard, sighed deeply, and once he was relatively calm, he said "You were… kidnapped, and this… bloke didn't even contact us? Did he try to rescue by himself in his arrogance? Also, are you sure you have not just been… brainwashed somehow, magically, with the imperious or something similar, by him in wanting to marry him?"

Lucius, at that time, felt offended, really, he was not some reckless idiotic gryffindor, he would have never tried to rescue Hermione by himself, so he spoke "Mister Granger… Albert if I may, I contacted Harry potter, who as you know is a… policeman in the wizarding world, and my son to rescue her. I knew it was very risky to do it by myself. I may have an high opinion of myself, but I am not so foolish to risk my fiancè life to my pride.

Also, Albert, I would like to assure you that what your daughter has said is completely true. She has not been coerced or magically influenced by me or others in any way. She has freely chosen to accept me. If you want I can even give you proof of it. Harry Potter has seen my memories to be sure of my stance in this situation and he was satisfied by them. if you and your wife wish, you can ask him about it, he has the memories stocked, he could show them to you if you want.

Albert looked Lucius eyes deeply and intensely, as if he wanted to see through his very soul by them. Sighing again, he said "I will certainly contact Harry about this, that is something you can be certain of. However, given this assurance… and the fact that, as Jeanette reminded me, she and I trust Hermione, I will be... civil… at least for now, towards you. Know however, that if I hear something is not right, I and Jeanette will look for you, and no amount of words or of magic will stop me from taking her away from you. "

Turning towards his daughter, Albert expression softened and with a kind voice he spoke "I am sorry about my reaction, you know I trust your judgement and your ability of making mature decisions. I, like your mum, am only worried for you. We only want you to be happy pumpkin, you know that."

"Thanks. I know it's difficult for you. In your position I would have reacted the same way I think. I have to go to the bathroom now. I will pass by the kitchen to take some ice tea if you have it, to later!" After saying this, Hermione left the room, leaving Lucius alone with her parents

"I agree with my husband, however... Lucius, what do you want with Hermione?" Looking at him with a polite but firm tone, Jeanette continued " I mean, pur daughter clearly is very taken with you, but you, why do you want her? Besides having back your magic, what do you wish from her? What is your opinion of Hermione, and what life do you hope to have with her? As her parents, we believe these are quite legitimate questions, especially given the circumstances. She, from what i understood about your betrothal, won't basically be able to leave you, neither you will be able to leave her. You two will be bound for most, if not all, of your life. What do you think about it?"

Assuming the most pleasant and reassuring expression he could muster, Lucius answered "Miss Granger, Jeanette, I love Hermione, dearly. She is much more than an instrument to get my magic back. Even before developing this affection I now have for her, I was fascinated by Hermione. She is a talented, strong and ambitious person, whose future, when our betrothal was activated and she worked at the Ministry of magic, looked extremely promising. I wanted, and still want, to guide her through life, helping her achieve her ambitions. She was harmed at my house during the war. It is something I always felt shame about. In helping make her life a most content one, I also hoped, and still hope, to ease my guilt about it. However, in these last months, by pursuing her, I had the pleasure to know her and appreciate her in far more significant ways. She is determined, firm, but also a person with her own weaknesses like any other. We share many interests, and her personality has also a joyous, carefree side I had the fortune to witness. It is a side mostly kept hidden by her in public. A side that i know she did hid more and more being alone and focusing only on her work in the last years. I want to see more of it, I want to make that side of hers shine and roam free, showing her that her life can indeed be a very contented, happy one. This is what i think of her, and what i want from her."

While Jeanette was quite satisfied by Lucius speech, Albert was only partially. As Lucius talked about Hermione's carefree side, Albert thoughts started to go to places that made him even more weary of the snob in front of him. When Lucius finished talking, Hermione returned, drinking a glass of tea. Before he could stop himself, Albert looked at his daughter and said "Did you have, I mean, did you already have sex with… him?"

Hermione did almost spit out the tea she had in her mouth at her father words. Shit, this was not something she would tell him. It was not his business to know it and for his own sake, it was better if he di not know it. "D-dad, this is something between Lucius and me. Of course, it should be obvious that since we are now a couple and we are adults, sex is or will be part of our relationship. It is not however something I must tell you about if i don't want to."

"Of course Hermione, forgive me, I… you are right. Shall we go to eat, it is around midday." After saying this, Albert got up and went to the kitchen with Jeanette.

Half an hour later, they were having lunch, chatting in a relatively serene way about small things. Lucius told the Granger of some of his "misfortunes" in the muggle world, asking some clarification such as "Tell me Jeanette, how it is that you manage to travel in the metro without getting lost? really, it is… impressive to say the least."

They also discussed about where Lucius and Hermione would go to live now. Telling her parents they had still not decided it, Hermione added "For now we will stay at Lucius house in London, then we will decide what to do. However, i think I will be able to go back to working at the ministry of magic in a few months, so it maybe staying in london would also be better for that reason.

Jeanette asked them when they would marry, if they had already thought about a date, and this time Lucius answered "I believe we will have to marry within an year, since the betrothal can become… troublesome in its magical effects if the marriage is not magically celebrated within an year from the activation of the enhancement."

After they had eaten, in a quite less tense atmosphere from the one who was there when they had revealed their engagement, Hermione and Lucius at last said goodbye to the Grangers. That day, the approval, or at least the acceptance of people important to them, had arrived, through mistrust, fortune had prevailed.


	15. Fortune is Eager

**Chapter Fifteenth: Fortune is eager**

It was the tenth of January, and Felix Greengrass was nervous, today he would do it, he would ask Abby Blythe to marry him, and if she agreed, within a month, she would be his wife, and he would be able to finally tell her of the wizarding world and introduce her fully to his life.

Would she agree tough? Felix was unsure. It was true that she seemed to love being with him, and she had told him to have fallen in love with him the former week, but who knew if that would have been enough for her to accept his proposal? After all, they had been seeing each other only from a few months, and among muggles, a proposal like his was considered as one done too soon, but Felix didn't want to wait. He was sure to succeed.

It was 7:15 pm, he had to go to the special dinner date he had set up for himself and Abby. Looking with a sad but warm, hopeful gaze at the photo of his former wife, Floriana, thoughts mixed with regret but also hope came to him. Part of his heart would always belong to Floriana, but maybe, this time, a new chapter of contentment was starting in his life, one who hopefully would not be broken by some criminal zealot's hate. If Abby accepted his proposal, such chapter would begin, and he would spend the rest of his life in devoting himself, his heart, to live it in happiness with his dear, overly cheerful beloved, otherwise, he would move on. With this thoughts in his mind, Felix , after giving a last watch at the photo, left, disapparating from his manor, and going to his fateful date.

"Felix! You are late! The show is beginning right now!" Abby was annoyed but, like always, happy to see her new elegantly warm boyfriend walking towards her. She kissed him, took his hand and said "let's go, I already bought the tickets, Come on I KNOW you'll love it. Your first anime movie"

Abby was right, Felix liked "Howl's moving castle" a lot, it was truly magical seeing man-made pictures so beautifully made move and talk and play in such a way. The plot was very nice, so warm and light but yet deep, Sophie, the female protagonist in love with the wizard Howl, was so right Felix thought, the heart has its weight.

As they finished the movie, they went to eat in a restaurant "It's a surprise Abby love, I promise you that like Howl I am not going to eat your heart, you will love this place, trust me".

It was a luxury restaurant near the Big Bang, where only them were the clients.

Surprised but intrigued, Abby said: "Why there isn't none else here? What are you up to, Felix Howl Greengrass?".

"I solemnly swear my dear that my intentions are the most selfish and, yet, good"

They sat and began eating, chatting and talking amiably like usually did.. When the dessert came, a large cake with sour cream and strawberries, it had written on it, with chocolate, a big " _I LOVE YOU. F"_

Abby blushed "You are such a showoff, but a good one indeed", as she ate the first piece said "good one indeed".

When they finished eating, one of the butlers brought an owl who had a letter in his mouth. "It is for you my sunshine, you told me you always would have wanted one." At Abby's shocked face, Felix continued "come now Abby, do not let the poor owl keep the letter in his mouth for too long".

Abby took delicately the letter, it was in parchment, and elegantly written in green ink. With her heart rate increasing, she read:

 _ **My dear sunshine**_

 _ **In these few months since we first met each other, my days, like I hope yours as well, have been increasingly happier, more cheerful and warm.**_

 _ **For me, since the demise of Floriana years ago, warm was a rare feeling for my broken heart, something at times I felt it would never return.**_

 _ **That feeling has changed completely since when you, with your addicting joy and lovely personality, entered my life.**_

 _ **You reminded my heart that joy can always return, is always near, if we just remember, like an acquaintance of mine would say, to turn on the light.**_

 _ **Ah you are such a wonderful expert in that my dear, your every word, your every cheerful smile, turn on the light of the day to all the people you talk to. For even just a few moments, you capture them in your warm, like a golden, cozy refuge from everything that was worrying them in the day.**_

 _ **This is why, selfish as I am, I cannot but desire to be able to have such a refuge beside me all my life, all my days and all my nights.**_

 _ **If you agree, I will spend the rest of my days doing everything i can to help protect the light and joy you have in your heart, and to make them if possible even more shining.**_

 _ **If you do not agree, I will still love you and be glad to remain your boyfriend, or even just your friend, or whatever else you will wish.**_

 _ **So, as you will have already guessed, this is my proposal to you sunshine.**_

 _ **Will you marry me?**_

 _ **I know it is soon, but I also know the feelings I have grown, and for them there is no such thing as soon in regards to you my dear.**_

Abby was speechless, hear heart beating fast, she had somehow expected it deep down when she had seen the place, but she had not dared to believe it.

She lifted her gaze and looked at Felix, watching her from the opposite side of the table, it had been, as he had written, little time, just months, since when they began to get to know each other, but still she felt it in herself that there was not any need to wait more.

Yes she thought, this warm, refined and odd man was making her feel like she, before meeting him, was starting to fear would never feel. She was in love with him, she had fallen for his awkward yet refined charm in the few months of their relationship, she did not know exactly when that had happened, but she knew it had.

So, taking his hands, she looked into him, and said "Yes, I will, I will!"

She then rose from her chair, went to sit in his lap and after kissing him softly, she whispered to him "I love you you, I don't know exactly when i fell in love with you, but I did. Now just thinking about all what we'll do together with years and years of time makes me more excited than a kid at Christmas. Think of the countless cosplay parties, the countless movies, the countless cosplay sex we will have! Think think think!"

Saying this, she kissed him again, thinking that they never actually had sex, something who really needed fixing. Holding him tightly, she thought "I am tired now and overwhelmed, and I have to wake up soon tomorrow to change the decorations of the shop, but SOON we'll make love for Jack Sparrow's sake!"

Lucius Malfoy felt satisfied.

Very much so. Finally he had got reaccustomed with his magic, his fiancè had accepted him, his friend Felix was going to propose soon to Abby.

Yes, life for Lucius was at last going in the right direction, however, something did not add up.

"Hermione dear, could you at last enlighten me as to the presence of a muggle courier, twice in a day, at our front door? You never said you were ordering something. Are you planning anything your rightly irritated fiancè may want to know?"

His fiancè glared at him, then summoned a piece of paper and a pen, wrote something on it, gave the paper to him and in a lecturing tone replied "Lucius, can you spell the word I wrote to me. Spell it very clearly"

Perplexed, Lucius looked at the paper and read, irritated, saying clearly every letter, "P-R-I-V-A-C-Y"

"Exactly Lucy dear, privacy, you do not need to know everything i do, if I buy something and order it, you do not need to know what it is if i do not want to tell you yet"

"Ah but you know I persuade you to tell me, in a very pleasant method" Saying this, he kissed her deeply, and they melted in each other for a few moments.

However, Hermione was not going to surrender this time, men like her Lucius needed to be reminded once in a while that they could not get everything they wanted just because, so, she reluctantly pulled out of his kiss and said "N-not this time, I will tell you, at lunch, if you behave".

Smirking, Lucius replied, "I am a Malfoy my sweet, I always behave."

"Perfect, then will you be a good boy and go out meeting Draco to talk about his potion project on anti-aging? When will you return I will show you everything, and you know I don't mean just the box right?"

Afterwards, when Lucius had gone, Hermione opened the box, she had ordered a computer notebook, and got to work to set it up and connect it to internet. This was a muggle house, so there were no problems.

Once she was on the internet, she searched for flights to Paris, Moscow and New York and for hotels there. "I want to show him the world, my world, which he was despite himself fascinated with in these months he has been pursuing me. It would be so beautiful to see his reactions at traveling throughout the muggle world, in muggle ways. I will take a plane with him! I hope so much Lucius will accept. Before he shows me fully his world, a world I already am a part of, I want him to see mine, which he never got to know in his life".

In the afternoon, Lucius returned to the house, quite satisfied, as the anti-aging potion project of his son was finally in its last step.. "In a few months it'll enter into the market, though naturally I will try it much sooner. Draco worried me a bit at first with his work of potion inventor first. Malfoys are manipulators and owners, not inventors. He unquestionably proved me wrong in the end, that is sure".

Entering the house, Lucius thought about how many years more he would have with Hermione thanks to Draco's project. More decades of not just life, but of life for much longer devoid of the limitations getting old usually caused. "How many successes will we celebrate doing more than just drinking the last most refined beverage, but pleasuring each other like at the beginning of our bond".

Smirking slightly at the thought, he entered the dining room and saw his fiancè smiling nervously at him. Beside her, on the table, a strange device was shining from what he supposed to be a monitor.

"G-good evening Lucius, how was your meeting with Draco?" Hermione was nervous, fearing her fiancè would not like her idea and tell her something like "Do I look like Arthur plebeian Weasley to you dear?"

"My meeting went very well, it really seems I along with many others will be able to age far slower than normal thanks to Draco's project. However, this is not what I am thinking about at the moment."

Moving his gaze from Hermione to the odd muggle device on the table, Lucius continued "Would you be so kind, my dear, to enlighten me about this curious, supposedly muggle, device you have there? Is that perhaps the one thing you ordered this morning?"

Clearing her voice, Hermione began "It is, it's called "computer", it is a portable version. Hmm, it's basically a device that you can use to play videos like a dvd player, but also for work, to manage stuff, and you can connect it to a global network who connects computers all over the world, to look for things you want to know or see, even to make purchases and speak…"

Seeing that Lucius was still confused, she changed tactic "I bought it to purchase flights by muggle transport to a few cities around the world. I… I am going back with you into the wizarding world soon, you are going to show me all you know about the wizarding world, I know that. You told me you would like to help me in my career, and in learning even more about the world I am part of. However, before that…"

She rose from her chair and stood in front of him, taking his hands, then looking him straight in the eyes, before continuing "Before all that happens, I would like to show you my world, a world you got to know a bit in these last months, which despite the way you were raised, you learned to appreciate. I am sure you would love to explore it as much as I would love to be with you while you do it.

It would be for a month, then, we would go back to the wizarding world, start planning our marriage date and I would begin trying to resume my job at the ministry".

"I am eager to be with you, to do and see things with you in every way we can think of, and I thought this was a...nice way to start. What do you say?"

Lucius Malfoy felt himself smile, he saw his fiancè was nervous, as if there was a single chance he would be other than absolutely agreeable, moved even, by her plan.

He kissed her deeply, making her nervousness go away a bit that way, before answering "You have no reason to be nervous, I am very agreeable to your proposal, I liked what little I have seen and experienced in these months of the muggle world, it will be marvelous, no doubt, to experience it more fully with you".

Seeing her relieved, he finished "Now that we have settled this, show me this "computer" of yours and how we can purchase our flights and our stays. However, I have one condition"

Surprised a bit, but curious, Hermione replied "Sure, what is it?"

"We must take only the best, and NOT care about the price. You will have to indulge me on this"

Rolling her eyes at him, she sighed good naturedly and hugged him "Condition accepted, honestly I thought that was implied, I am aware your surname is Malfoy after all."

Afterwards, Hermione showed Lucius how the computer worked. He was positively amazed, as it was usual lately to him, by the marvels of muggle technology. What amazed him the most however, were the possibilities of this incredible network the muggles called Internet.

"It is truly marvelous, are you really saying that through the access to this network millions of people can talk to each other even from the other side of the globe, instantly? Our communication means can look indeed primitive compared to this"

The pair purchased a flight to New York for the following week, they would start there, going in America, where Lucius had never been, and then to San Francisco, Tokyo, and so on, until they would be back in England.

"Around the world in 80 days, it is a famous sci fi novel by Jules Verne, a muggle writer of the eighteenth century, we could do something like that, though we would stay more in places since traveling by plane the actual travel will take little time. So, what do you say Lucius? Aren't you at least a bit eager for this adventure?"

Kissing her with longing, with a passion full of promise, he replied "Oh I am certainly eager, far more than a bit my lioness"


End file.
